West Ham defender, Hawa Cissoko has been hit with a two-match ban and a £200 fine after punching Aston Villa’s Sarah Mayling during a WSL clash between the two sides last month.
She was shown a red card as both teams struggle to control their players, with the coaching staff of the two sides also getting involved.
After an investigation into the chaotic scenes, the FA confirmed Cissoko’s suspension on Wednesday November 2, while also handing out sanctions to the two teams and West Ham boss Paul Konchesky.
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The FA statement read:
‘Aston Villa Women FC and West Ham United Women FC have been fined £1,000 each for breaching FA Rule E20 at their match in the Women’s Super League on Saturday 15 October 2022.
‘Both clubs denied failing to ensure that their players and/or officials conducted themselves in an orderly fashion during the 91st minute. An independent Regulatory Commission subsequently found their charges to be proven and imposed these fines during a hearing.
‘Hawa Cissoko has been given a two-match suspension and £200 fine for two breaches of FA Rule E3. The West Ham United Women FC defender accepted that her behaviour following the offence that she got sent off for was violent but denied it was also improper after that in the technical area. The independent Regulatory Commission found the second charge to be proven and imposed her sanctions.
‘Paul Konchesky and Jack Hopkins have been fined £325 and £250 for also breaching FA Rule E3. The West Ham United Women FC manager and Aston Villa Women FC Operations Assistant accepted and denied that their behaviour in the 91st minute was improper. The independent Regulatory Commission found the charge against Jack Hopkins to be proven and imposed both of their sanctions.
‘The independent Regulatory Commission’s written reasons for all of these decisions will be published on TheFA.com at the earliest opportunity.’
In the aftermath of Cissoko’s sending off, West Ham reported racist abuse aimed at the 25-year-old on social media from members of the public, and vowed to support their player.
The club released a statement saying: ‘West Ham United can confirm that we have reported a number of racist and abusive messages directed at our player Hawa Cissoko following Saturday’s Barclays Women’s Super League fixture against Aston Villa.
‘While we in no way condone Hawa’s actions on the pitch, for which she has apologised, everyone at the club is disgusted by the hateful content of the online messages subsequently sent to her. They have been passed directly to the police and reported to the relevant social media companies.
‘There is no place for this in society and we condemn it unreservedly. Hawa continues to receive the full support of everyone at the club, including through our dedicated employee assistance programme, which provides care and protection for the wellbeing of all staff.
‘West Ham United continues to be unequivocal in its stance – we have a zero-tolerance approach to any form of discrimination. Equality, diversity and inclusion are at the heart of the football club, and we urge social media platforms and regulatory authorities to strengthen their measures to prevent this abhorrent behaviour.’
