Aleksandar Mitrovic: Fulham striker gets eight-game ban for pushing referee
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Fulham's Aleksandar Mitrovic has been banned for eight games by an independent commission after pushing referee Chris Kavanagh in their FA Cup loss at Manchester United.
The Serbia striker received a three-match ban for the sending-off, three for violent conduct and an additional two for "improper, abusive, insulting and threatening" language.
He has also been fined £75,000.
Fulham manager Marco Silva will serve a two-match ban after he was sent off.
In addition to an improper conduct charge for allegedly throwing a water bottle in the direction of the assistant referee, Silva was charged with misconduct for comments he made in a news conference following the 3-1 defeat at Old Trafford on 19 March.
Silva admitted abusive behaviour towards match officials and that his post-match comments constituted improper conduct, but denied throwing the water bottle.
He said last week he had apologised to Kavanagh and that he and Mitrovic "regret" what happened.
Marco Silva - We made a mistake and regret the situation
The Football Association (FA) wants a stronger punishment against both men and intends to appeal against the sanctions, but would wait for the written reasons from the commission.
Following Mitrovic's red card, the FA said its standard punishment was "clearly insufficient".
Mitrovic denied this but it was upheld by the commission, and he admitted the charge that his behaviour and language after being sent off was improper.
One game of Mitrovic's ban has been served, meaning he will be available for Fulham's final three Premier League matches of the season, starting with Southampton on 13 May.
'In the current climate, ban is not enough'
Former Premier League referee Peter Walton told BBC Radio 5 Live a stronger sanction would help referees at grassroots level feel protected.
"The FA and the independent commission have a great opportunity to send a really strong and powerful message to the whole of the football family that this is not allowed and should not be tolerated," said Walton.
"There can't be any place in football where a referee is physically abused - I'm racking my brains to think of any justification, and there is not.
"We have a duty of care to ensure all our referees feel safe when they go out onto that field and fortunately, in the professional game, this type of abuse only happens very rarely - I think maybe only two or three times in my lifetime.
"When we have the opportunity to send a signal out to our brothers and sisters at grassroots levels, this is the opportunity to be taken, and I think the FA is quite right to be looking to appeal this ban.
"When you look at the previous ones, I think it was 11 games for [Paulo] Di Canio, way back in 1998; 10 games for David Prutton back in 2005.
"So when you look at this one at the moment, eight games - in the current climate, I don't think it's enough."
Keith Hackett, who refereed in the top flight between 1992 and 1994, said Mitrovic should be serving "a much longer ban" than eight games.
"People that play football at grassroots level saw what happened and sadly they will replicate the approach," Hackett said, speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live.
"The decision by the independent commission demonstrates they are out of touch with our national game.
"The fine and ban does not replicate what happens throughout the game at a national level in England."
Hundreds of grassroots referees told the BBC in February that they feared for their safety, with the FA introducing a body camera trial to act as a deterrent.
What did Mitrovic do to receive the eight-game ban?
In the FA Cup tie, Mitrovic put Fulham in front against United early in the second half.
He was dismissed in the 72nd minute after United were awarded a penalty following a video assistant referee (VAR) check that resulted in Willian being sent off for handball on the line.
In an apology to team-mates and supporters, Mitrovic said: "On a personal level, I regret my actions that led to me being sent off.
"I allowed my frustration to get the better of me, and how I reacted was wrong."
Fulham have also received a £40,000 fine for failing to control their players.
They are 10th in the table and host West Ham on Saturday.
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