The Football Association (FA) has banned Cardiff City defender Krystian Bielik for two games and fined him £10,000 after he admitted a case of misconduct.
The 28-year-old Poland international was involved in an altercation involving Portsmouth fans during Cardiff’s 2-0 Championship defeat at Portsmouth on Saturday, 5 September.
A Hampshire Police investigation into the flashpoint concluded that no further action was needed on their part over the incident, although as part of the resolution Bielik provided an apology.
Bielik is now set to miss the Championship trip to Blackburn Rovers on Saturday, followed by the home games against Watford on Tuesday, 13 October.
The FA charge stated that: “It was alleged that the player acted in an improper manner around the 71st minute of the fixture.
“Krystian Bielik subsequently admitted the charge. An independent Regulatory Commission imposed these sanctions following a hearing, and the written reasons for its decisions will be published in due course.”
Bielik was involved in a physical altercation with a fan as he went to retrieve a ball from the crowd late in the second half.
Several Portsmouth supporters made gestures that indicated they believed the fan had been grabbed by the throat.
Cardiff head coach Brian Barry-Murphy claimed afterwards that Bielik “got slapped in the face”, while clips circulating on social media appeared to show the Poland international grabbing a young fan around his upper body.
In the aftermath, another fan threw a ball at the head of Cardiff defender Perry Ng. Both supporters were ejected from the stadium.
After the game, Portsmouth head coach John Mousinho apologised to Cardiff City’s players.
In the days that followed and having been shown the footage, Mousinho said he was “absolutely furious” at the position he says he was put in over the incident.
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