Chile defender Gonzalo Jara thrown out of Copa America for ‘finger-up-backside’ assault
Player suspended for three matches after disciplinary hearing into lurid flashpoint during last week’s quarter-final with Uruguay
Chile defender Gonzalo Jara will miss the rest of the Copa America after being suspended for three matches on Sunday for sticking his finger up an opponent’s backside and feigning injury during a match.
Conmebol, the governing body of South American football, said it was suspending Jara for “unsporting behaviour”. It also fined the Chilean FA US$7,500.
If you start acting on allegations outside of the referees report, things are going to get very complicated
Jara will miss Chile’s semi-final clash with Peru on Monday and, depending on the result of that match, either the final or third-place play-off.
He will also be ineligible for Chile’s opening match of the qualifying campaign for the 2018 World Cup.
Television images from Chile’s quarter-final against Uruguay showed Jara grabbing the backside of Uruguay striker Edinson Cavani and sticking his finger up it.
Cavani responded by gently pushing Jara away but the Chilean fell to the ground as if he had been punched.