Uruguayan federation appeals against harsh punishment handed down to Darwin
Former Benfica forward banned for five international matches after clashes in Uruguay-Colombia
The Uruguayan Football Federation (AFU) has announced that it will appeal the suspensions imposed on Darwin (five games) and Rodrigo Bentacur (four) by CONMEBOL, following incidents in the Copa América semi-final against Colombia.
“We consider that, in certain cases, the sanction is unfair and we will appeal,” said Ignacio Alonso, president of the AUF.
The sanctions, applied to 11 players from the sky-blue nation, are anything but lenient. Six players, Sebastián Cáceres, Matías Viña, Emiliano Martínez Toranza, Brian Rodríguez, Facundo Pellistri and Santiago Mele, will have to pay around 4,500 euros, but the others have all received suspensions. Mathías Olivera, Ronald Araújo and José María Giménez are, among these, the least punished: they will be out for three matches.
Tottenham midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur has to pay 16,000 euros and will miss four games, and of all of them, Darwin was the most punished . The Liverpool forward , who spent two seasons with Benfica , will have to serve a five-match suspension and a fine of 18,000 euros. The Uruguayan Federation was also punished with a fine of 18,000 euros. Director Marcelo García is banned from entering stadiums in CONMEBOL competitions for six months.
