Preston North End forward Milutin Osmajic has been suspended for eight matches and fined 15,000 pounds ($20,000) by the English Football Association for biting an opponent during a heated Championship match against Blackburn Rovers.
The incident occurred late in the game on September 22, when Osmajic bit Blackburn defender Owen Beck on the back of the neck. Despite Beck appearing to inform referee Matt Donohue about the bite, Osmajic was not sent off during the match.
The FA announced Friday that Osmajic admitted to an act of violent conduct, leading to the sanction for misconduct.
Blackburn manager John Eustace said Beck was left shaken after the clash with Osmajic. The match, a 0-0 draw between the local rivals, saw one player from each team sent off in separate incidents.
Preston has not commented on the decision, stating they will wait for the written reasons for the punishment to be published.
“All I can say is that there’s no place for (biting),” Preston manager Paul Heckingbottom said when the incident occurred. “Mistimed tackles, things like that are part and parcel of the game, you accept them, anything that is not has to be dealt with.”
Osmajic will be unavailable for selection until Preston’s match against Derby on November 23.
This incident recalls previous high-profile biting cases in soccer. Former Liverpool and Barcelona striker Luis Suarez received a 10-match ban in 2013 for biting Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic. Suarez was later given a four-month ban for biting Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini during the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
The severity of Osmajic’s punishment reflects the FA’s stance on such violent conduct, emphasizing the need to maintain sportsmanship and fair play in English football.
As the Championship season progresses, Preston will have to adjust their lineup to account for Osmajic’s extended absence, potentially impacting their performance in the competitive second tier of English soccer.
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