FA reviewing Hazard, ball boy incident

FA reviewing Hazard, ball boy incident

Published Jan. 24, 2013 12:00 a.m. ET

The FA is reviewing the footage of Eden Hazard's red card for kicking a ball boy at Swansea's Liberty Stadium on Wednesday night.

The Belgium international was dismissed by referee Chris Foy after he lost patience during the closing stages of the Capital One Cup semi-final, second leg match as ball boy Charlie Morgan refused to hand over the ball after it had gone out for a goal-kick.

Morgan fell to the ground as Hazard attempted to get the ball from him, with the Blues forward then trying to kick it from under him but appearing to instead make contact with the youngster.

Hazard escaped criminal action over his conduct after Morgan and his father, Swansea director and hotel owner Martin, decided not to press charges.

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But the FA are reportedly looking into the incident.

Hazard already faces an automatic three-match ban but a suspension can be increased in "exceptional circumstances".

There have been strong opinions voiced over the incident.

Former Chelsea winger Pat Nevin claimed he would have done the same as Hazard and branded Morgan's behavior as "disgraceful".

Nevin told BBC Radio Five Live: "I would have kicked the ball out from underneath the ball boy if he had been lying like that, 100 per cent. I was very, very disappointed by the way the ball boy acted, and I say 'acted'. He must have been watching footballers, the way he rolled around and pretended to be more injured.

"He only has one job and his job is to go and give the ball back, and what did he do? He keeps the ball. I have to say I was absolutely amazed this morning to find he is 17, not 12, not 13. He should know what his action should be in that situation. His behaviour was disgraceful."

Swansea vice-chairman Leigh Dineen, meanwhile, placed the blame squarely at the door of the Chelsea man and defended Morgan, who has become something of a Twitter celebrity, with his account now having upwards of 80,000 followers.

"The boy went to pick up the ball and he fell over. He didn't hold on to the ball for a minute; it happened over about 20 seconds," he said. "Had it been 2-0 to Chelsea, I don't think Hazard would have been anywhere near the ball. But I don't think Hazard deliberately went to kick him. You can't kick out at anybody. I don't think you can do that. If it was done on the field of play, there would be plenty of questions to be answered."

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