Leeds defender Pontus Jansson has been handed a one-match ban and fined £1,000 by the Football Association for his comments during a post-match television interview.
Jansson admitted to a charge of bringing the game into disrepute after claiming referee Jeremy Simpson had robbed Leeds of all three points during their recent home draw against Brentford.
“Leeds United’s Pontus Jansson has been suspended for one match with immediate effect and fined £1,000 following an Independent Regulatory Commission hearing,” read an FA statement.
“The player admitted an FA charge that his comments in a post-match interview after the game against Brentford on October 6, 2018 were abusive and/or insulting and/or improper and/or brought the game into disrepute.”
Sweden international Jansson also swore during a live interview on Sky Sports immediately after the final whistle. The game ended 1-1.
Centre-half Jansson was frustrated at Simpson’s decision to award Brentford a controversial second-half penalty.
The referee also sent off Leeds right-back Luke Ayling, having not shown a second yellow card to Brentford defender Moses Odubajo for a similar challenge earlier in the game.
Jansson will miss Leeds’ home Sky Bet Championship game against Ipswich on Wednesday.
Leeds said in a statement they would not be appealing against the FA’s decision.
“Leeds United accept the one-match ban issued to Pontus Jansson following our game with Brentford earlier this month, purely due to the fact that the club sees no value in making an appeal,” the club said.
“All parties agree that the language used by Pontus in his flash interview after the game was inappropriate, however we also feel that a warning or a fine would have been a fairer outcome.”
Jansson’s wife gave birth to a baby daughter in Sweden last weekend and Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa told a press conference the Swede would be flying back to the UK on Tuesday night.
