BERLIN (AP) -- Italy midfielder Daniele De Rossi was suspended
for four matches and U.S. defender Pablo Mastroeni received a
three-match ban after FIFA's disciplinary committee reviewed their
red cards at the World Cup.
De Rossi elbowed Brian McBride in the face during the 1-1 draw
at Kaiserslautern last Saturday, opening a wound under the U.S.
forward's left eye that required three stitches.
Mastroeni was sent off at the end of the first half after a late
two-footed tackle on Andrea Pirlo.
De Rossi was also fined $8,000, while Mastroeni was fined
$6,000, FIFA communications director Markus Siegler said Friday.
De Rossi would be available to play in the World Cup final if
Italy makes it that far. The United States was eliminated in the
first round.
The Italian Soccer Federation said FIFA would have given De
Rossi a five-match ban, but reconsidered because of his written
apology.
"I'm sorry for him, that he's got to miss four matches, but
that's what we expected," said Giancarlo Abete, the head of
Italy's World Cup delegation. Abete said Italy would not appeal the
ban.
"We're going to accept FIFA's decision calmly," said Abete.
"We hope he plays again (at the World Cup) -- for his part, and
also selfishly, for the rest of us."
FIFA president Sepp Blatter, who issued a pretournament
directive to referees to crack down on the kind of elbowing
incident that De Rossi was suspended for, would not comment on a
decision made by the disciplinary committee.
