Faria appeal partly upheld

Chelsea assistant coach Rui Faria has had his appeal against a six-match stadium ban partly upheld by the Football Association.

Faria was hit with the ban and a £30,000 fine for a rant towards officials during Chelsea’s controversial 2-1 defeat to Sunderland at Stamford Bridge in April.

However, Faria – who was charged with “using abusive and/or insulting words towards the Fourth Official” – has had his ban cut to four matches, with two suspended.

The Portuguese has served two of those games already, meaning he will be absent from the dugout for the first two matches of next season.

A statement from the FA read: “Chelsea coach Rui Faria has had his appeal against a six-match stadium ban and £30,000 fine in relation to the Sunderland game on 19 April 2014 partly upheld by an Appeals Board.

“Mr Faria was handed the punishment after he admitted using abusive and/or insulting words towards the Fourth Official and that his behaviour following the Match Referee’s request that he leave the technical area amounted to improper conduct.

“The Appeal Board ordered that the final two matches of the six-match stadium ban be suspended for 12 months and so they will only be invoked upon a proven breach of FA Rule E3 during that period.

“The £30,000 fine he was given at the original Independent Regulatory Commission hearing remains unchanged.”