Swindon Town captain receives seven-match ban and fine
Swindon Town’s club captain Ollie Clarke has been handed a seven-match suspension and fined £2,750 following an incident in which he was found to have “violated” two Cardiff City players’ “private body parts,” reports BritPanorama.
The 33-year-old midfielder faced disciplinary action over his conduct during Swindon’s Carabao Cup first-round defeat to Cardiff on 12 August last year. An independent regulatory commission convened by the Football Association published its written reasons this week, though significant portions were redacted due to the nature of the offences.
The fine represents approximately one week’s wages for the League Two side’s skipper. The match referee, Elliot Bell, documented the incident in his official report, noting that a Cardiff player approached him at the final whistle in a visibly distressed state.
According to the written reasons, the player “was very emotional and struggled to speak” whilst making allegations against Clarke. The commission concluded there was “no plausible explanation” for making contact with an opponent’s intimate areas, particularly when the ball was not in play. Describing the matter as “an extremely serious and unusual incident,” the panel determined that Clarke’s actions were “highly invasive/intrusive and violating,” warranting a punishment exceeding that typically given for violent conduct.
Clarke admitted to two charges of improper conduct and indecent behaviour towards opponents but maintained throughout that his actions were not deliberate. However, the commission rejected his explanation that the incidents occurred unintentionally. Swindon Town condemned the ban when it was initially imposed last month and reiterated their backing for the player.
Throughout the process, Ollie Clarke maintained his innocence and only admitted the charges on the basis that both charges were unintentional,” the club stated. “The club continues to support Ollie and will do so moving forward.” Manager Ian Holloway has been vocal in his criticism of how the disciplinary process was handled, describing it as “disgraceful” due to the length of time it took to reach a conclusion.
“I vouched for his character, and I know he’s competitive, and he wouldn’t have meant anything that he’s allegedly done,” Holloway said. The Swindon boss expressed frustration at what he considered an unjust outcome, adding: “For me, it hasn’t affected the way I feel about him, not in any way, shape or form. I saw what he did. I’ve watched it back. And for me, it was nonsense.”
Holloway suggested police involvement would have produced a different result, stating they “would have let him off, because there’s no evidence.”
In the world of sport, the line between competitive fervor and decorum can often blur, revealing just how contentious moments can ignite broader discussions about conduct, fairness, and accountability.
