Frei handed 15-day UEFA suspension

Switzerland striker Alexander Frei has been provisionally suspended by UEFA for 15 days after television footage showed him spitting at an E...

Switzerland striker Alexander Frei has been provisionally suspended by UEFA for 15 days after television footage showed him spitting at an England player during a Euro 2004 match.

Frei was earlier pulled out of the Swiss team just hours before their final Group B game against France on Monday.

UEFA wants Frei to be banned for five games, a UEFA official told Swiss television. “The UEFA Appeals Body has suspended the Swiss player Alexander Frei provisionally for all competitive UEFA matches in national team competitions,” European soccer’s governing body said in a statement.

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“This provisional suspension is for a total of 15 days and takes effect today … before the France-Switzerland match.”

UEFA lodged an appeal earlier on Monday against the decision by its disciplinary body to clear the Stade Rennes player and the appeal hearing will be this week if Switzerland reach the quarter-finals.

“Should Switzerland fail to qualify the hearing would take place back in Nyon, Switzerland in July after the end of Euro 2004.” If the Swiss qualified for the final, they would have four matches Left including Monday’s.

A UEFA official told Swiss television UEFA wanted the 24-year-old to be banned for five games because “among other things, in the first instance a completely true version of events was not presented by the Swiss side”. (Reuters)

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