South Africa coach Hugo Broos says the team will appeal midfielder Themba Zwane’s three-match ban following a red card at the World Cup. Zwane is serving the suspension after being sent off during South Africa’s opening match of the tournament, which ended with Mexico defeating South Africa 2-0. According to Broos, the appeal is based on concerns about the FIFA disciplinary committee’s decision-making.
Broos points to an incident involving Argentina forward Lionel Messi during Argentina’s 3-0 win over Algeria on Tuesday. He argues Messi appeared to commit a foul but was not punished, and he presents that as context for what he views as an inconsistent outcome in Zwane’s case.
The reports agree that Zwane’s red card leads to a three-match suspension and that Broos makes the comparison to the Messi incident as part of the justification for the appeal. FIFA disciplinary procedures and the final outcome of the appeal are not reported in the available sources.
