“Do you mind? I’m trying to take a leak here…”
Mansfield winger Adi Yussuf has been hit with a five-match ban for the heinous crime of going for a quick tinkle during a recent game.
Yussuf was handed a misconduct charge by the FA after he disappeared round the back of a stand during The Stag’s League Two game against Plymouth Argyle at Home Park in mid-February. He was warming up as a substitute at the time.
The 23-year-old has since admitted the charge at an independent disciplinary hearing, with the FA emitting the following statement:
Adi Yussuf has been suspended from all domestic club football for five first-team competitive matches and fined £700 after he admitted an FA misconduct charge.
It follows a breach of FA Rule E3 by the Mansfield Town player in or around the 30th and 53rd minute of the league fixture against Plymouth Argyle on 13 February 2016.
The decision of the Independent Regulatory Commission, which sat on Thursday 10 March 2016, also included a warning as to the player’s future conduct.
Unsurprisingly, Mansfield manager Adam Murray is more than a little miffed at the inordinate severity of Yussuf’s punishment, telling the club’s official website:
We are very disappointed by the length of ban received. While the football club does not, in any way, condone the isolated ‘act’ which has previously been reported, it should be borne in mind that Adi has stated that he was given alleged guidance by both a steward and unused substitutes from Plymouth Argyle as to where to perform this act, which was at the back of the Plymouth stand and out of public view.
At this time Adi was an unused substitute and was warming up on the touchline at the far end of Home Park and furthermore, the water closets at this ground are a fair distance away.
Without in any way excusing the player’s act, Adi did follow instructions by three Plymouth employees, at a venue which was unfamiliar to him.
Something something they’re taking the piss something something.