SINTRA, Portugal, 30 June 2004 — Czech Republic playmaker Pavel Nedved’s booking against Denmark must stand, UEFA said yesterday.
The Czechs asked UEFA to review the incident in the 61st minute of their 3-0 quarterfinal win on Sunday, leaving him among 11 players who head into the semifinals knowing another yellow card would end their hopes of playing in the July 4 final. The Czechs meet Greece in their semifinal in Porto tomorrow.
UEFA spokesman Robert Faulkner said yesterday: “There was no official protest from the Czechs but they did ask us to look at the incident again. “However, under Article 44 of the disciplinary code, yellow cards can only be rescinded in the case of mistaken identity by the referee and this does not apply in this case.”
Petr Fousek, general secretary of the Czech Football Association, had said their move was not a formal appeal against the yellow card as this was not allowed under the European body’s disciplinary procedure.
“We believe it is a very harsh decision and that after looking very carefully at a recording of the incident that UEFA should reconsider this yellow card,” Fousek had told Reuters.
Russian referee Valentin Ivanov punished Nedved for little more than incidental contact with Danish winger Jesper Gronkjaer.
There was a look of disbelief on the midfielder’s face when the card was produced. Television footage showed that Gronkjaer overreacted and pulled Nedved’s hair after the incident.
Nedved, the European Footballer of the Year, was forced to watch the 2003 Champions League final between his team Juventus and AC Milan from the stands after he picked up a second yellow card in the semifinal win over Real Madrid.
Czech assistant coach Miroslav Beranek said officials believed the referee’s decision on Sunday was wrong. Speaking through an interpreter, he said: “We have replayed this analysis many times and we think, in our opinion, that the decision of the referee was too harsh.
Vladimir Smicer, who played with Nedved in the Czech squad that lost the 1996 final against Germany, said: “We have three players on yellows and that is difficult for them.
“But we have a very good squad and good replacements if something happens. Of course, Pavel (Nedved) is our captain and he is a huge influence.”
Injured right back Martin Jiranek has returned from a Lisbon hospital after tests on a strain in his right thigh.
The Czechs’ other injured player, central defender Rene Bolf, resumed training after missing Monday’s session.
