Tassotti Banned for Eight Matches by FIFA for Incident with Enrique

Italian defender John Mauro Tassotti was banned for an unprecedented eight international matches by FIFA after he elbowed Spain's Luis Enrique in the face during a quarter-final match. The incident was not seen by referee Sandor Puhl, and only came to light after FIFA's disciplinary committee reviewed video evidence. Tassotti has been fined £10,000 and will miss the remainder of the 1994 World Cup and most of the qualifying rounds for the 1996 European Championship. Italy has announced plans to appeal the ban.

Key Takeaways:

• John Mauro Tassotti was banned for eight international matches by FIFA for elbowing Spain's Luis Enrique in the face.
• The incident was not seen by referee Sandor Puhl, and was only discovered through video evidence.
• Tassotti was fined £10,000 and will miss the remainder of the 1994 World Cup and most of the qualifying rounds for the 1996 European Championship.
• Italy will appeal the ban.
• Tassotti claims he did not hit Enrique deliberately, and apologized to his teammates.
• Marcel Mathier, the president of the Swiss Football Association, led the disciplinary committee that imposed the ban.

Statistics:

• 8 matches: the length of the ban imposed on John Mauro Tassotti by FIFA.
• £10,000: the fine imposed on Tassotti.
• 2 teams: the teams involved in the quarter-final match where the incident occurred (Italy and Spain).
• 1 referee: Sandor Puhl from Hungary, who did not see the incident.
• 1 competitor: the Real Madrid player Michel, who was previously banned from European competition by Uefa for 8 matches.

Sources:

• "Tassotti banned for eight World Cup matches." The Independent, [undated]
• "Does Tassotti's foul warrant eight-match ban?", The Times, July 1994