Qatar’s Asim Madibo has been handed a five-game suspension for a tackle that left Canada’s Ismael Cohn with a broken bone during the World Cup. Madibo was given a straight red card for the incident during Canada’s 6-0 win over Qatar in Vancouver last Thursday. FIFA’s disciplinary committee confirmed that the length of his suspension was due to Madibo’s serious misconduct. Qatar and the players can appeal this decision.
What was supposed to be a landmark victory for Canada was tragically overshadowed by Kone’s injury, with the midfielder being carried off the pitch on a stretcher and later undergoing surgery to repair a fractured tibia and fibula in his left leg. The match ended in a come-from-behind victory in the 51st minute, but Cone fell to the grass holding his legs and covering his mouth with his hands, leaving the players around him fearing the worst.
Madibo was clearly distressed by the incident and personally apologized to Kone after the final whistle. And so, the repentant midfielder remained in Vancouver while his Qatari teammates headed to Seattle to play against Bosnia and Herzegovina, spending time with Kone.
“You can’t even imagine how grateful I am to everyone who has reached out and continues to keep me in your prayers,” Cohn posted on Instagram.
Canada head coach Jesse Marsh became emotional after the game, admitting, “It happened right in front of our bench. We all heard it. We knew it right away. It was the same thing when Tajon (Buchanan) got hurt in training. It was right in front of us and everyone could hear bones breaking.”
“Your hearts go out to him and everyone is a little shaken up by this whole experience, because of the nature of the injury and because Ismael is a big part of the core of our team. It’s going to be a big loss for us. He’s been a great player in the last two games.”
“But look, you could also see him waving to the crowd and reassuring everyone else of the fact that he was injured. That’s a great statement about Ismael as a person.”
“He (Madibo) was very affected by this injury. It was never his intention,” Qatar coach Julen Lopetegui said this week. At the time of writing, the Qatari national team had not responded to requests for comment.
It is worth noting that while this suspension is one of the harshest ever handed down by FIFA at a World Cup, it is not the longest suspension in history.
Uruguay forward Luis Suarez was suspended for nine games and four months from all football-related activities for biting Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini during the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, while Italy’s Mauro Tasotti was suspended for eight games for elbowing Spain forward Luis Enrique in 1994.
