By Xinhua,
Canberra : Football’s world governing body FIFA has banned Australian goalkeeper Danny Vukovic from the Beijing Olympics, overturning a decision by an independent appeals panel allowing him to play despite his ban for striking a referee.
Football Federation Australia (FFA) confirmed that FIFA had ruled Vukovic ineligible for international matches until Jan 25 next year.
Vukovic was banned for 15 months, with six months suspended, after being sent off for striking referee Mark Shield at the end of this year’s A-League grand final in which his team Central Coast Mariner lost to Newcastle in March.
He appealed the original suspension to an independent panel, which reduced the ban by four months and split the suspension so that he could play at the Olympics and serve the ban before and after the Beijing Games.
Vukovic also has the right to appeal against FIFA’s latest judgement, although the FFA is not planning an appeal.