The Melbourne City goalkeeper Dean Bouzanis has been handed a five-match A-League ban for calling Melbourne Victory striker Besart Berisha a "f......ing gypsy" during last weekend's derby
Matthew Ridenton of the Phoenix has a shot at goal blocked by Melbourne FC's keeper Dean Bouzanis. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Bouzanis was unable to convince Football Federation Australia's disciplinary and ethics committee to downgrade his charge of discriminatory language on the basis he did not understand the loaded racial undertones of his heated slur directed at the Albanian marksman.
But at a hearing in Sydney last night, the committee accepted the 26 -year-old's ignorance and deep remorse over his words, caught on camera following Victory's controversial 2-1 win over City.
They also took into account the fact he had met Berisha personally on Tuesday to apologise, and praised City for taking immediate steps to address the situation with Victory.
But committee chair, John Marshall SC, warned Bouzanis that while his unblemished record and commitment to undergo an awareness course had helped his case this time, he could not expect such leniency in the future.
"You should think yourself fortunate to have got the minimum in the circumstances, and you can never count on that happening ever again," Marshall said.
Bouzanis accepted the sanction, meaning he would sit out until round 24 and likely be replaced by Thomas Sorensen.
"I'm grateful to have been able to present my case and I'd like to apologise to Berisha and the football community," he said afterwards.
"You'll see from my actions that this will never happen again."
-AAP
