Saku Savolainen was suspended for a situation that was not whistled as a foul in the match.
Saku Savolainen has to be sidelined for big games. Mika Kylmäniemi / AOP
The disciplinary committee of the Swedish Football Association has given two match suspension For KuPS full back Saku Savolainen.
For KuPS, which is aiming for the Finnish championship, losing Savolainen is a significant setback. Four rounds of matches have yet to be played in the upper end series of the league.
The suspension was imposed for the situation in the Ilves–KuPS match played on October 16, in which Savolainen slid towards the ball. Ilves’ coach Pasi Tuutti reported the situation to disciplinary authorities on October 19. Ilves’ view was that Savolainen didn’t hit the ball at all, but hit his buttons Matias Ralea to the lower leg.
Match referee Joni Hyytä did not judge fault for the situation. Hyytia, who was consulted afterwards, estimated that Savolainen’s tackle had the conditions for a red card.
– The chairman of the disciplinary committee states in his decision that although Savolainen did not necessarily aim to hit the opponent with the intention of harming the opponent with the intended tackle in a fast ball chasing situation and could not have considered the contact completely certain, he must have considered contact and jeopardizing the safety of the opponent’s player as a very likely result of his actions, the disciplinary committee reasoned.
KuPS, which holds the top spot, will face SJK away on Monday.