|
In less than the span of one hour on Thursday, CONMEBOL dropped a Neymar provisional ban from two matches to one, with a final decision due on Friday. The Copa America disciplinary board on Thursday originally dealt Brazil captain Neymar the two-match provisional suspension after the Barcelona star received yellow cards in two straight matches and was sent off in Brazil's 1-0 loss to Colombia on Wednesday. However, the region's governing body adjusted the sentence to a one-match provisional ban, and added that the disciplinary board will meet on Friday "to decide the final punishment." A definitive sentence will be issued on Friday, the board said in a statement. The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) have 24 hours to submit a defence, at which point a final decision will be made, the board said. Neymar was sent off at the end of the match to cap a miserable night for Dunga's side against Colombia. He will miss Brazil's final match of the group stage vs. Venezuela but be able to return after that, should Brazil advance. He had been booked in the first half and was dismissed along with Colombia's Carlos Bacca after a melee in injury time that involved several players. Bacca, who shoved Neymar from behind, was apparently upset after the Brazilian kicked the ball at Pablo Armero and then seemed to head-butt Jeison Murillo. Bacca will be suspended for Colombia's match against Peru, the committee said. Neymar had already been automatically ruled out of Sunday's final Group C match with Venezuela for the seemingly deliberate handball when referee Enrique Osses showed him the straight red. "In my view the rules are always used against me," Neymar told Brazilian media, blasting Osses' decision to caution him for the first-half handball. "I was off balance, the ball hit my hand but it was not intentional. They put a weak referee in there to whistle up for all that. The team didn't play well." Caio Rocha, the Brazilian who sits on CONMEBOL's disciplinary committee, told Folha de S. Paolo that the rules are clear. "In theory, Neymar could be suspended just one game. The rule doesn't make clear if the yellow recieved yesterday, his second of the tournament, is maintained. If the tribunal interprets the that the yellow is voided/anulled by the red, the automatic suspension falls and Neymar could be punished with just a one-game suspension."
|
