Jonjo Shelvey has been banned for five games and fined £100,000, the Football Association has confirmed.
The Newcastle United midfielder was hit by the charges earlier this week after it was alleged he used racial abuse towards Wolverhampton Wanderers player Romain Saiss.
Shelvey denied the claims, but the fine and ban have been upheld after a hearing conducted by an independent regulatory commission.
Shelvey is alleged to have called Saiss an “Arab cunt” during a game between Newcastle and Wolves back in September.
The incident is said to have developed following Newcastle midfielder Vurnon Anita’s sending-off in Wolves’ 2-0 win.
Saiss, a French-born Moroccan international, brandished an imaginary card as the referee assessed the situation. Shelvey is said to have taken issue with this.
Dominic Iorfa, Matt Doherty and Cameron Borthwick-Jackson, three Wolves players, all testified against Shelvey at a hearing.
Iorfa said he heard Shelvey call Saiss an “Arab cunt” and an “Arab prick.”
Irish defender Doherty said he heard the England midfielder call his teammate a “Moroccan prick” and an “Arab cunt.”
While Borthwick-Jackson said he heard him call Saiss a “smelly Arab cunt.”
The written document released by the commission on Friday stated:
“The commission has considered whether the three witnesses could have each misheard the use of the word ‘Arab’ by Mr Shelvey and we conclude this suggestion is unrealistic.”
Shelvey has accepted the fine, but maintains that he did not racially insult Saiss.
He said he called him a “smelly-breathed prick”, in response to Saiss calling him a “bald cunt.” Shelvey has suffered from alopecia since he was a child.
He admitted calling Iorfa a “peasant” because he earns more money than him. He said he was “cashing off” the player.
