Arsenal fail to overturn Max Dowman red card after appeal panel splits
The reasons for rejecting Arsenal’s appeal against the dismissal of their young player Max Dowman revealed that an independent FA panel upheld the decision by two votes to one. Dowman, aged 16, was shown a straight red card in last month’s Carabao Cup match against Fleetwood Town.
The reasons for rejecting Arsenal’s appeal against the dismissal of their young player Max Dowman revealed that an independent FA panel upheld the decision by two votes to one. Dowman, aged 16, was shown a straight red card in last month’s Carabao Cup match against Fleetwood Town.
The two members who backed the dismissal felt Dowman could have avoided retaliating after a strong challenge from Harrison Neal, but instead came back and tried to kick him in revenge, justifying referee Michael Salisbury’s decision to send him off for violent conduct. The dissenting member felt the player’s reaction did not involve the excessive force or brutality required for it to be considered a sending-off offence.
Arsenal submitted two video recordings and a letter from the club secretary, Zena Perkins, to challenge the dismissal and the three-match suspension, but the panel unanimously rejected the appeal to reduce the punishment. It found no exceptional circumstances to justify reducing the suspension, and did not consider Dowman’s age a reason to shorten it.
The written findings explained that Salisbury made the decision to show the card himself, rather than acting on advice from another match official. Dowman had missed Arsenal’s 1-0 win over Liverpool and will also miss the league matches against Hull City and Newcastle United. Arsenal were knocked out of the Carabao Cup after drawing 1-1 with Fleetwood and losing 5-3 on penalties.