Football Association charges Burnley’s Hannibal Mejbri for misconduct
The Football Association has brought misconduct charges against Burnley’s Hannibal Mejbri following claims he spat at Leeds United supporters, reports BritPanorama.
The Tunisian international, 22, allegedly engaged in the behaviour whilst warming up around the 67th minute of the match at Turf Moor on October 18, which the Clarets won 2-0.
A supporter from the visiting Whites contingent filed a formal complaint regarding the incident, prompting the FA and Lancashire Police to investigate.
The FA’s statement confirmed: “It’s alleged that the player acted in breach of the Laws of the Game and/or in an improper manner and/or used abusive and/or indecent behaviour by spitting at or in the direction of Leeds United supporters.”
The former Manchester United academy product must submit his response by November 28. The incident occurred whilst Mejbri remained on the bench, with the midfielder eventually entering the match during the 83rd minute as a replacement. Following his introduction, he received a yellow card in stoppage time after an altercation with Leeds defender Gabriel Gudmundsson.
Lancashire Police confirmed their involvement in the investigation. They stated they were “currently working with Burnley Football Club to establish the facts” surrounding the allegations.
This is not Mejbri’s first controversial encounter with Leeds supporters. During the previous league campaign, he appeared to provoke away fans by raising his arms triumphantly while being substituted at Elland Road in a Championship fixture that Burnley won 1-0.
Should Mejbri be found culpable, it is likely he will face a minimum six-match suspension, mirroring previous cases. Earlier this year, Norwich City’s Borja Sainz received a six-game ban plus a £12,000 fine for spitting at Sunderland’s Chris Mepham. Historical cases demonstrate similar sanctions, as Manchester United’s Jonny Evans and Newcastle’s Papiss Cissé were suspended for six and seven matches, respectively, in 2015 after spitting at each other.
Meanwhile, West Ham’s Arthur Masuaku served a six-game ban in 2017 for spitting at Wigan’s Nick Powell. The charges arrive weeks after Preston North End striker Milutin Osmajic received a nine-match suspension for racially abusing Mejbri during February’s Championship encounter. An independent Regulatory Commission determined Osmajic’s guilt based on probability. The player continues to deny the accusations, with Preston pledging continued support.
In a sport where emotions run high, this latest incident is a stark reminder of the thin line athletes walk between competitive passion and unacceptable behaviour.
