Clarke banned for ‘highly violating’ act on opponents

Swindon Town captain Ollie Clarke was banned for seven matches after committing “highly violating and intentional foul play” on two opponents’ “private body parts” during a game, according to a disciplinary report.

The 33-year-old midfielder was also fined £2,750 last month after admitting two Football Association charges of acting in an improper manner or using indecent behaviour to an opponent.

The incidents occurred in the 57th minute and 94th minute of Swindon’s Carabao Cup defeat by Cardiff City on 12 August.

In the written reasons for the ban, published on Monday, an FA independent Regulatory Commission said Clarke’s actions were aggravated by the two incidents taking place 37 minutes apart during the same game.

A player who reported one of the incidents to the referee after the final whistle “was visibly upset” and “very emotional and struggled to speak”, it said.

The report did not give specific details on the actions Clarke committed.

In a statement, external following the publication of the written reasons, Swindon said Clarke “maintained his innocence” and only admitted the charges on the basis that both “were unintentional”.

“The club continues to support Ollie and will do so moving forward,” Swindon added.

However, the commission said it did not accept Clarke’s view that “neither of the acts were intentional” and said there was “no plausible explanation to be touching an opponent’s private body parts during a game [especially when the match itself was not in motion]”.

After the ban was imposed last month, Swindon said they believed “the decision falls short of the standard of proof beyond reasonable doubt and was instead based on the balance of probabilities”.

Clarke last played for the Robins on 13 December and has three games of his ban still to serve.