Following an Independent Regulatory Commission hearing on 21 and 22 January, MK Dons FC manager Karl Robinson has been suspended from the touchline for a period of four matches and fined £3,000 after a misconduct charge against him was found proven.
The charge was that during a fixture between MK Dons and Bradford City on 16 September 2014 Mr Robinson used abusive and/or insulting words towards a Bradford City player, in breach of FA Rule E3(1). Furthermore, the breach was Aggravated as defined in FA Rule E3(2) by reference to the player’s nationality.
Mr Robinson contested the 'Aggravated' part of the charge but was found to have referred to the player’s French nationality on two occasions. The Commission accepted that such references were motivated by Mr Robinson’s belief that the player had sought to place pressure on a match official to caution an opponent and in the context of Mr Robinson’s views on such conduct being unprofessional.
Mr Robinson has also been warned as to his future conduct and ordered to complete an education programme.
