Player suspended for slapping ball boy

A professional soccer player in Switzerland was suspended for eight games Tuesday for slapping a ball boy following a loss earlier this month.

The Swiss Football League's disciplinary commission handed down the suspension after video footage of the May 2 incident clearly showed FC Sion's Serey Die assaulting the boy without provocation. Die's team had just lost the match 1-0 to Lausanne.

Swiss media reported that the 27-year-old Ivorian had lashed out after becoming upset that the ball boy did not return the game ball to the players in a timely manner during the match.

Die has five days to appeal his suspension, the Swiss Football League said in a statement.