Aussie goalkeeper gets 5-game ban over ‘gypsy’ slur

MELBOURNE, Australia: Melbourne City goalkeeper Dean Bouzanis was banned on Wednesday for five A-League matches for calling Melbourne Victory’s Besart Berisha a “gypsy” during last weekend’s fiery Melbourne derby.
Bouzanis, 26, who was contracted to Liverpool for four seasons, expressed deep remorse after he was caught on camera calling Albanian striker Berisha a “f***ing gypsy’ in a stormy climax to Melbourne Victory’s controversial win over City last weekend.
Tempers flared late in the game after Victory scored twice in two minutes to grab a 2-1 win, sealed by a Manny Muscat own goal which was briefly ruled out for offside.
During the exchanges, Melbourne City’s ex-Everton striker Tim Cahill, who was about to come on as a substitute, was red-carded before he even made it onto the pitch after he swore at referee Chris Beath.
Football Federation Australia’s disciplinary committee said Bouzanis’s punishment took into account the fact that he later met Berisha to apologize. The committee also praised City for taking immediate steps to address the situation with Victory.
“You should think yourself fortunate to have got the minimum in the circumstances, and you can never count on that happening ever again,” committee chair John Marshall told Bouzanis at the hearing.
Bouzanis will now be out of action until round 24 and likely be replaced by Denmark’s Thomas Sorensen.