Estoyanoff Gets Six-Match Ban for Tunnel Assault

W460

Al Nassr winger Fabian Estoyanoff was Thursday banned for six matches and fined $10,000 for a violent assault on Lekhwiya's South Korean midfielder Nam Tae-hee in an Asian Champions League match.

The Uruguayan was seen grabbing Nam by the neck in television footage, pushing him against a wall and raining down punches on him in the players' tunnel at the end of a group stage match in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) premier club competition on May 6.

Visiting Qatari side Lekhwiya, with Nam scoring the crucial second goal, had just defeated Al Nassr 3-1 to reach the knockout stages and eliminate their fierce Saudi rivals from the 2015 Champions League.

The AFC issued a statement Thursday after its disciplinary committee met in Kuala Lumpur.

"The Committee discussed various disciplinary cases, one of which related to an incident in the tunnel after the Al Nassr (KSA) vs. Lekhwya (QAT) AFC Champions League group stage match on May 6, 2015 between Al Nassr player Fabian Estoyanoff and Lekhwya player Nam Tae-hee," said the statement.

"The Disciplinary Committee found Fabian Estoyanoff to have breached Article 57 of the AFC Disciplinary Code on offensive behaviour and fair play. He was suspended for six matches, applicable in the next AFC club competition in which he would be eligible to play. He was also given a USD10,000 fine," said the statement.

The 32-year-old Estoyanoff was capped 31 times for Uruguay between 2001 and 2007 and joined Al Nassr -- who were crowned Saudi Professional League champions last Sunday -- from Uruguayan side Penarol in January.

Midfielder Nam, aged 23, has been capped 22 times for South Korea and scored the only goal in the Asian Cup 1-0 group stage victory over Kuwait in January. The Koreans progressed to the final where they lost to hosts Australia.

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