Meltdown at UEFA after Roofe gets huge ban
Mandatory Credit: Photo by Kirk O Rourke/Rangers FC/Shutterstock 11805064bp Referee Orel Grinfeeld shows Kemar Roofe of Rangers a red card for his challenge on Ondrej Kolr of Slavia Praha during the Europa League last 16 match at Ibrox Stadium, Glasgow. Rangers v Slavia Prague, UEFA Europa League, Round Of 16, Second Leg, Football, Ibrox Stadium, Glasgow, UK - 18 Mar 2021 EDITORIAL USE ONLY No use with unauthorised audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or live services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Rangers v Slavia Prague, UEFA Europa League, Round Of 16, Second Leg, Football, Ibrox Stadium, Glasgow, UK - 18 Mar 2021 EDITORIAL USE ONLY No use with unauthorised audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or live services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTXHUNxGRExMLTxCYPxROMxBULxUAExKSAxONLY Copyright: xKirkxO Rourke/RangersxFC/Shutterstockx 11805064bp
Kemar Roofe’s 4-match ban we’ve not really addressed – because frankly it makes no sense.
Let’s be clear – Roofe’s red card was 100% merited. He was deeply reckless and he could have seriously hurt Ondrej Kolar – as it was he fractured his skull.
It was, however, clearly a horrible accident from an overenthusiastic striker whose foot was raised too high in trying to get a 50/50.
He was, however, rightly sent off on the spot.
So what’s with the extensive ban?
Surely a player getting red carded received the punishment as standard with UEFA guidelines, which means a one match ban?
It is true that they are entitled to augment it, but we’re not absolutely sure Roofe’s actions merit a 4-match ban.
Automatically it’s one match, yes, but with more serious offences UEFA can extend – this maybe merited two.
But four?
We can’t understand why a reckless moment of accidental stupidity has suffered a four-match ban, or what UEFA’s thinking is that has Roofe’s honest moment of carelessness as half as serious as racism.
UEFA’s rulings here are a mess, inconsistent and don’t tally up with the supposed offences.
And in one of the cases, they appear to have conjured it from thin air.
Bewildering and ridiculous.