West Ham United's Avram Grant suspended and fined by the FA

Posted Tuesday, April 05, 2011 by YAHOO Sport

The FA have suspended and fined West Ham United manager Avram Grant for his post-match comments after the club's 2-1 FA Cup semi-final defeat to Stoke City in March.

Grant has been given a touchline ban for two matches and has also been fined a total of £6,000 by the FA. The ban will commence with immediate effect therefore the Israeli manager will watch West Ham’s trip to Bolton Wanderers and their home game against Aston Villa from the stands.

The ban relates to comments made by Grant in the aftermath of his team’s loss against Stoke in which he insinuated referee, Mike Jones, had favoured Stoke after allowing a fortunate West Ham equaliser earlier in the game.

He said at the time: "I think maybe this is the reason the referee started the second half very strange. Until they scored [the second] goal he gave fouls, a penalty, everything for them.”

"It was a penalty for us at the end which he didn't give. What happened with Tomkins was more bushido [the Japanese code of conduct for samurai warriors]. Maybe he felt a little bit guilty. I think it was the effect of the first goal for us."

Grant had initially denied the charges brought against him and requested a personal hearing but the Independent Regulatory Commission could not found any reason not to find Grant guilty.