THE club player who allegedly bit an opponent during an Armagh League game on Sunday could be punished with a lengthy ban for bringing the game into disrepute.
The unconfirmed incident is alleged to have occurred during the second half of a bad-tempered Intermediate A Football League game between Lurgan’s St Paul’s and Culloville Blues which was abandoned with around 10 minutes remaining.
According to reports, a prolonged melee - allegedly sparked by the St Paul’s goalkeeper being bitten on his arm - broke out and led to the referee taking the decision to abandon the game. However, that melee, which began shortly after the second half water-break, had followed previous fighting earlier in the second half.
Afterwards a picture emerged on social media showing a wound on the St Paul’s player's arm which appeared to show bite marks which had punctured the skin in some places.
In the wake of the incident the Armagh County Board’s Competition Control Committee (CCC) will review the referee’s report from the game and it is likely that both clubs, and possibly the players involved, will be invited to a meeting later this week and afforded the opportunity to give their accounts of what caused the abandonment of the match which was both clubs’ first game of the season.
Based on the referee’s report – which may be disputed - and the information from the two clubs involved, CCC will then make a decision on what penalty is to be imposed.
The likelihood is that both clubs will be fined because the game was abandoned with a heavier fine potentially imposed on one club if it is found to have been more culpable in the abandonment.
Meanwhile, if his offence is proven, the alleged perpetrator of the bite – who is understood not to have been sent off during the match - could face a lengthy ban for bringing the game into disrepute. The game itself – Culloville were leading by three points (0-11 to 0-8) in Lurgan when the referee decided to call it off – is likely to be declared null and void.
Armagh County Board chairman Mickey Savage said there was “no place for biting anywhere” and added that the alleged offence was particularly distasteful during a time when restrictions are in place and precautions are being taken throughout all clubs – spectators were not allowed in grounds in the North over the weekend – to prevent the potential spread of the Covid-19 virus.
Savage confirmed that the Armagh CCC will review the details of the incident before making their judgement.
“We have to wait until we get the referee’s report and then let CCC deal with it,” he said.
“It is unconfirmed and I can’t speculate but there’s no place for biting anywhere at any time, especially at the minute in the times that’s in it with the Covid pandemic. We’ll act on the referee’s report, if it’s there we’ll deal with it.”
