Soccer:The Professional Footballers Association in England have backed Carlos Tevez in his increasingly bitter battle with Manchester City. The players's union this afternoon issued a statement supporting the Argentinian's insistence that he did not refuse to play in the Champions League loss at Bayern Munich last month.
City this week fined Tevez four weeks’ wages — believed to be in excess of €1 million — for misconduct after finding him guilty of five breaches of contract. After an exhaustive investigation and a disciplinary hearing last Friday, City’s judgement concluded that the 27-year-old had effectively refused to play when asked to come on as a substitute at the Allianz Arena.
Yet Tevez always contended that he merely refused to warm up and blamed a misunderstanding for the whole fiasco. It was understood that the charge facing Tevez at his hearing last week did refer to a failure to resume warming up rather than an outright refusal to play.
City’s final statement, however, made clear the club’s disciplinary panel deemed him guilty of failing to “participate in any matches” for which he was selected. City added they were writing to the PFA for ratification of the fine but that does not appear to have been forthcoming.
The PFA’s statement read: “Gordon Taylor [chief executive] attended the hearing with Carlos Tevez on October 21st and was privy to all the evidence presented to the hearing and Carlos’ response. The PFA’s opinion, based on all the evidence presented, is that Carlos Tevez never refused to play for the club.
“This is accepted by the club in that the charge against Carlos made at the hearing was not one of refusing to play. As such the PFA considers that there is no justification for a fine other than up to the prescribed sanction of two weeks’ wages agreed by the FA, the Premier League and PFA.
“The PFA has informed the Manchester City Football Club accordingly and Carlos will continue to be supported by the PFA in this regard.”
City are yet to respond but it is believed Tevez is pleased to have such public support from the union. The PFA’s statement vindicates much of what Tevez has argued and supports his belief that City’s judgement bears no resemblance to reasons he was given for being guilty of misconduct.
Tevez was almost certain to appeal anyway but, with another 12 days to announce his intentions, had been biding his time and considering all options for a while. Now the support of reputable Taylor as an independent witness will help his cause.
It is also understood Tevez and his representatives are considering suing manager Roberto Mancini over his immediate post-match claims that the striker refused to play.
Taylor added: “If he had refused to play that would have been the charge and that would be gross misconduct. The charge was momentarily refusing to resume warming up. He never refused to play. He was desperate to play.
“They are trying to portray he refused to play, which is serious and why he was vilified. No evidence that they presented suggested that. If the evidence was strong and irrefutable, that’s gross misconduct, as serious as it gets and could be a termination of contract.
“That’s not the case. The evidence doesn’t suggest that and that’s why the charge was not of gross misconduct.”
