Ex-ref calls on retrospective Sunderland ‘ban’ after Coventry City flashpoint
Coventry City news from CoventryLive as former FIFA match official gives verdict on ugly incident during 3-0 win over Sunderland
Former referee Keith Hackett has called for Sunderland defender Trai Hume to be “banned” after the 3-0 defeat to Coventry City.
The former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA official wants retrospective action to be taken against the Northern Ireland international who he believes deserved a red card, not just a yellow, for what was deemed a punch on Sky Blues midfielder Tatsuhiro Sakamoto.
Any such punishment would be a further blow for the Black Cats after they were dealt a hammer blow to their automatic promotion hopes in the 3-0 defeat.
With Coventry leading 2-0 shortly after the break, a number of individual battles ensued in the box at a set-piece with Sakamoto being knocked to the ground. Clips appeared to show Hume punch the Coventry man in the chest. Referee Dean Whitestone issued a yellow card but Hackett believes that further action needs to be taken.
Talking to Football Insider, Hackett said: “That’s a red card offence, so there is always the likelihood of the FA coming in. I think there is a reluctance by the Football Association authorities to re-referee football matches in this type of situation. Because they will have the report from the match referee who has only issued a yellow card and they will say ‘that’s his judgement on the field of play and we’ll stay with that’.
“For me I think these are the incidents where that retrospective part of officiating to actually ensure that players don’t do it in the future [is needed]. He’s [Hume] fortunate to get away without a red. He’s clearly punched his opponent, therefore that’s a red card offence. He knows what he was doing, I await the outcome of the FA.
