Chelsea Defender Slobodan Rajkovic Appeals Against Ban

Back at the start of last month I wrote an article about one of our young defender’s out on loan at FC Twente.

 

19-year-old Chelsea defender Slobodan Rajkovic had just been given a one year ban which seemed a bit harsh in comparison to punishments dished out for the same offence.

 

And yet, it was the offence itself that I found hard to get my head round.

 

You see, the young Serbian is alleged to have spat in the direction of referee Al Hilali in response to a red card during Serbia’s game against Argentina at the Beijing Olympics.

 

Anyway, at the time, I was a bit undecided because although a 12 month ban was clearly over the top, I really think spitting is probably the most disrespectful thing a player can do—and obviously, doing it at the Olympics was just asking for a harsher punishment anyway.

 

But then after talking to several supporters from both Chelsea and opposing clubs, and reading about punishments dished out to other players, I sort of came round to the conclusion that the youngster had a right to appeal and the latest update seems to be that he has.

 

Yesterday’s press informed us that Rajkovic, who joined Chelsea from OFK Belgrade in 2005, has apparently launched an appeal and is due to travel to Zurich to present his case to Fifa on November 10th.

 

The talented defender, who spent last season with PSV Eindhoven and is currently on a season-long loan at FC Twente, has the backing of Twente’s chairman Joop Munsterman, who says “We don’t like it at all that the thing has lingered on already for so long.  We could have had Rajkovic for three months already, and we paid a lot of money for him.”

 

And maybe he has a fair point?