Just Get Rid Of The Appeal Process Already

Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany will miss his club's next four matches after the Premier League leaders failed Tuesday in its appeal against the defender's red card against Manchester United.

Kompany was sent off for a two-footed challenge on Nani in the 12th minute of Sunday's FA Cup match. United beat 10-man City 3-2.

City manager Roberto Mancini said United striker Wayne Rooney pressured referee Chris Foy into showing the red card but the Football Association rejected City's attempt to have the decision overturned.

"The suspension consists of a statutory three-match suspension for serious foul play plus one additional game given this is Kompany's second dismissal of the season,'' the FA said.

The FA ought to just do away with the fiction there is an actual "appeal" process that might be effectual. Its hard to take them seriously when Kompany's "serious foul play" doesn't involve actually touching an opponent. Instead of acknowledging the obvious, the ref thought he saw something that didn't happen (and was probably swayed by United players in the process), the FA simply told City "Don't fuck with us."

Why bother.

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