Papiss Cisse, Jonny Evans Charged by FA After Alleged Spitting Incident

Jonny Evans and Papiss Cisse have been served suspensions by the FA for their actions in the Newcastle United-Manchester United match on March 4.

Continue for updates. 

---

Cisse Banned 7 Matches, Evans Banned 6 Matches for Incident

Saturday, March 7

The FA has announced the punishments for Cisse and Evans:

"

Newcastle United’s Papiss Cisse and Manchester United’s Jonny Evans will serve suspensions of seven-matches and six-matches respectively with immediate effect.

This follows the Premier League game on Wednesday 4 March 2015.

Both players were charged in relation to an alleged breach of FA Rule E1[a] in that in or around the 38th minute of the fixture they spat at each other.

Mr Cisse accepted the charge and his suspension consists of six matches, which is the standard penalty for this offence, with an additional one match as he has previously accepted a violent conduct charge this season.

Mr Evans denied the charge but it was found proven following an Independent Regulatory Commission hearing on Friday [6 March], resulting in a six-match suspension.

The incidents were not seen by the match officials but caught on video.

"

---

Cisse, Evans Charged for Spitting Incident

Thursday, March 5 

Newcastle United's Papiss Cisse and Manchester United’s Jonny Evans have been charged by the Football Association on Thursday after an incident in the 38th minute of the game between the two teams on Wednesday when the players allegedly spat at one another, per the FA's website.

The players have until Friday to appeal, but Cisse has accepted his charge, according to Newcastle's official website:

"

Newcastle United and Papiss Cisse have this evening accepted an FA charge in relation to the incident between Cisse and Manchester United defender Jonny Evans, which took place during the clubs' Barclays Premier League match on Wednesday, 4th March.

Managing director Lee Charnley said: "Both ourselves and Papiss agree that this kind of behaviour is not acceptable.

"In life, when you do something wrong you have to front up, admit your mistakes and accept the punishment. Papiss was proactive this morning in making a full and heartfelt apology, which he did in advance of any notification from the FA regarding this charge.

"This was something he felt strongly about and we fully support him in quickly accepting the charge."

"

Cisse will serve a seven-match ban, according to Sky Sports News HQ. 

On Friday, March 6, the FA announced that Evans denies his charge and that an Independent Regulatory Commission will convene to hand down a decision on Saturday.

While the match officials did not see the incident, it was apparent on video. The FA's site detailed the process for reviewing plays that weren't seen on the pitch:

"

In Premier League matches, if an incident has not been seen by the match officials, a three-man panel of former elite referees will be asked by The FA to review the footage independently of each other.

They will then advise what, if any action, they believe the match referee should have taken had it been witnessed at the time. For an FA charge to follow, all three panel members must agree it is a sending-off offence. In this instance, the decision by the panel was unanimous in respect of both players.

"

Cisse apologized for his actions after the match, per Sky Sports News HQ on Twitter:

Meanwhile, Rob Harris of the Associated Press has more on the punishment the players could be facing:

While Cisse seems prepared to take the punishment that is doled out by the FA after apologizing for his actions, Evans seems more likely to appeal the charges. Given that he was also charged in the incident after video review, however, the odds seem long that he will escape punishment.

Either way, the moment was a disappointing and unnecessary confrontation and one the FA likely won't take lightly. Spitting on another player certainly isn't within the sportsmanship or spirit of competition the FA wants to promote.