Kewell free to play
http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,8659,19533628-5004540,00.html
From correspondents in Oehringen, Germany
June 20, 2006
HARRY Kewell has been cleared by FIFA over his post-match tirade against a referee and will be free to play in Australia's crucial World Cup Group F match against Croatia on Thursday (Friday AEST).
Football Federation Australia has confirmed FIFA has thrown out the case against Kewell over his confrontation with referee Markus Merk following Australia's 2-0 loss to Brazil on Sunday.
It is understood that part of the reason for dismissing the charge is inconsistent reports from the match officials about the incident.
Australian officials received advice today from FIFA's disciplinary committee that Kewell had been cleared.
The Socceroos had earlier submitted Kewell's side of the story, leaning heavily on the fact referee Merk refused to talk to Australian skipper Mark Viduka when approached during the game to explain certain decisions to him and his teammates.
A team captain is permitted to ask a referee for clarification of decisions during a game, but assistant coach Graham Arnold said yesterday the Socceroos were denied even that right by Merk.
An FFA spokesman said the reasons given by FIFA not to proceed with any action against Kewell were in part "inconsistent reporting by the match officials about the incident", which took place immediately following the final whistle.
That was despite photographs and television replays clearly showing Kewell striding purposefully towards Merk, mouthing off and pointing his finger at him – the sort of anti-referee histrionics FIFA usually frowns heavily upon.
