NEWCASTLE, England -- Newcastle midfielder Jonjo Shelvey has been banned for five games and fined 100,000 pounds ($123,000) for using discriminatory language toward an opponent during a game in England’s second-tier League Championship.
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Newcastle says Shelvey, an England international, was also ordered to attend an education course as part of the punishment handed down by the English Football Association.
Shelvey denied the charge of misconduct. Newcastle are expected to appeal the FA’s decision.
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The incident took place near the end of Newcastle’s 2-0 home loss to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sept. 17. Shelvey was accused of using “abusive and/or insulting words” that included “reference to ethnic origin and/or race and/or nationality.”