Pablo Longoria, president of French football club Marseille, has been handed a 15-match suspension after accusing his team of being victims of corruption in the aftermath of a 3-0 defeat to Auxerre on Saturday.
Longoria’s remarks were deemed offensive and a breach of the ethics charter, with France’s Professional Football League (LFP) disciplinary body ruling that the comments harmed the image of football. In addition to the ban, Longoria has been suspended from all official duties, including access to dressing rooms, the pitch, and related corridors.
Fabrizio Ravanelli, the former Marseille striker now in an advisory role with the club, was also penalized, receiving a three-match suspension for calling refereeing decisions in the match “scandalous.”
During the game, Marseille were already 1-0 down when a penalty claim was turned down by referee Jeremy Stinat just before half-time. Things worsened after Canadian defender Derek Cornelius was sent off for a second yellow card, and Marseille conceded two more goals to suffer a heavy loss.
Longoria later apologised, admitting that his choice of words was inappropriate.
