Fans blamed as Adebayor escapes ban
MANCHESTER CITY striker Emmanuel Adebayor yesterday escaped a ban for his controversial celebration against Arsenal after the Football Association accepted he had suffered “extreme provocation”.
Adebayor was initially charged with improper conduct for marking a goal against his former club last month by running the length of the pitch to parade in front of Gunners supporters. But the FA relented after a three-and-a-half-hour hearing at Wembley and opted to hand Adebayor a suspended two-match ban and a fine of £25,000.
The decision means City’s top scorer, who has just completed a three-match ban for violent conduct in the same match, is free to face Aston Villa in Monday’s Premier League fixture.
City manager Mark Hughes consistently defended the 25-year-old, arguing that abuse from the Arsenal fans, with whom he fell out in his final season at the Emirates, was a major mitigating factor. And although they issued Adebayor with a reprimand, the FA said a major factor in their decision not to ban him had been the behaviour of the travelling support.
“In reaching its decision the Commission took into account his admission of the charge, public apology and the extremely provocative nature of the abuse he received,” read an FA statement. “However, the commission also stated that players have a responsibility to conduct themselves in a proper manner and that such celebrations are unacceptable and have the potential to cause a serious public order incident.”
Hughes said: “There has been a lot said and written about Emmanuel’s goal celebration. We are just glad to put it all behind us now.”