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Let Off

What the...? Balotelli's challenge on Alex Song goes unpunished by the FA

The suits claim that their hands are tied because it was not an off-the-ball incident.

MANCHESTER CITY STRIKER Mario Balotelli will not face any extra punishment for a shocking tackle on Arsenal’s Alex Song on Sunday.

The Football Association have announced that they are powerless to punish the player as it was not an off-the-ball incident that neither the referee nor linesman spotted.

“Retrospective action can only be taken in scenarios where none of the Match Officials saw the players coming together. The normal scenarios in which retrospective action is taken are for ‘off the ball’ incidents,” read a statement on TheFA.com.

“Retrospective action was introduced for off the ball incidents where there was no contest for possession and could not be deemed to be re-refereeing an incident.

“In agreement with FIFA, this is how ‘not seen’ incidents are dealt with retrospectively in England. It is a policy that is agreed  with all football stakeholders.”

Judge for yourself…

YouTube Credit: tinygas

Balotelli is still facing a lengthy suspension for receiving his third red card of the season, and fourth of his City career, against the Gunners.

After the match his manager Roberto Mancini said that his fellow Italian would ‘probably’ be sold in the summer, although Balotelli has since apologised for his actions.

Read: Derry loses appeal, Martinez receives apology from ref”s chief >

POLL: Should Balotelli be sold? >