World NewsRajkovic Given 12-Month Ban for Spitting |
SERBIA defender Slobodan Rajkovic has been suspended from football for 12 months by FIFA for spitting at the referee during a match at the Olympics.
The Chelsea youngster, who is currently on loan at Dutch side FC Twente, spat at referee Abdullah Al Hilali after he was sent off in his side's 2-0 defeat by Argentina in the group stages.A statement from FIFA released on Friday read: "At its 1 September 2008 meeting, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee decided to suspend Slobodan Rajkovic (Serbia) for 12 months for spitting at the referee on 13 August 2008 after the Argentina v Serbia match at the Olympic Football Tournaments.
"This suspension applies to all national and international matches including club competitions. This decision may be appealed."
Rajkovic, 19, was signed by Chelsea from OFK Belgrade in 2005 when he was 16, but was immediately loaned back to the Serbian club until the end of the 2006/7 season.
The teenager, who has three caps for the Serbia national team, spent last season on loan at Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven, but played only 13 Eredivisie games.
He joined Steve McClaren's Twente on a year's loan in July and was an unused substitute in their first league game of the season last Saturday.
Copyright (c) 2008 Press Association
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