Burkina Faso’s Amadou Coulibaly has been banned from all football for 18 months after spitting at the referee in a World Cup qualifier in June, FIFA have announced.
The 21-year-old Rennes defender was found guilty by FIFA’s disciplinary committee and fined 10,000 Swiss Francs as well as being suspended.
Coulibaly was found guilty of spitting in the face of Togolese referee Kokou Djaoupe in Burkina Faso’s qualifier against the Democratic Republic of Congo in Kinshasa on June 20.
“As a result of the grave misconduct and disrespect of the game’s official in this incident, Coulibaly has been suspended with immediate effect for 18 months from all domestic and international matches (friendly or official),” FIFA said.
The Democratic Republic of Congo won 3-2 with a disputed penalty in stoppage time at the end of the match. The incident occurred after the match had finished.