Patrice Evra banned for four games following Chelsea bust-up

Manchester United defender Patrice Evra has been banned for four matches and fined £15,000 after the FA ruled he attacked Chelsea groundsman Sam Bethell at Stamford Bridge last season.

Chelsea have also been fined £25,000 because of Bethell's own conduct during the altercation, following the Londoners' controversial 2-1 win.

However, an allegation that Bethell had 'engaged in racist conduct or language' was not proved and Chelsea were cleared of that charge.

The regulatory commission found a charge of improper conduct against Patrice Evra proved on all four elements of the charge.

The FA statement in full…

"The Commission found that his conduct during a warm-down session following the Chelsea v Manchester United, Premier League fixture on April 26 2008, was improper in that:

a) Mr Evra pushed the Chelsea head groundsman with his chest (as was admitted by Mr Evra)

b) He struck Mr Sam Bethell, a groundsman at Chelsea, on the side of his head

c) He subsequently, ie after the previous incident had begun to calm down, ran back to confront Mr Bethell again (as was also admitted by Mr Evra)

d) Then became involved in a further physical altercation with Mr Bethell.

The Commission considered this was an incident of violent behaviour by Mr Evra which was therefore punished by a suspension for four first team matches as from Monday, December 22 and imposed a fine of £15,000 on Mr Evra.

The Regulatory Commission found two charges against Chelsea both proved. On the first charge the Commission found that during the course of the same incidents connected with the warm-down by Manchester United players, Chelsea employee Mr Sam Bethell, had conducted himself in a disorderly fashion and that his conduct and language had been abusive and provocative.

Charges against Mr Bethell had previously been dismissed on the ground that the FA had no jurisdiction over him personally. Chelsea were charged because they failed in their responsibility to ensure that their employee Mr Bethell conducted himself in an orderly fashion and refrained from abusive and provocative conduct and language. The commission fined Chelsea £25,000 on this charge.

An allegation that Mr Bethell had engaged in racist conduct or language was not proved. Accordingly, so far as the charge against Chelsea was based on its alleged responsibility for such racist conduct and language by Mr Bethell, the charge against the club was not proved.

A second charge against Chelsea of failure to specify in Mr Bethell's contract of employment by the club that Mr Bethell was directly under the disciplinary control of the FA was upheld but the commission did not find it appropriate to impose any penalty on that charge.

Mr Evra and Chelsea were each ordered to pay half the costs of the regulatory commission proceedings."

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