The Dutch Football Association (KNVB) suspended FC Groningen goalkeeper Etienne Vaessen after a fight after the match after the match against Ajax.
After the match of 14 May against Ajax ended in a 2-2 draw, Vaessen fell in a scuffle with Ajax players and staff members before he reportedly bumped to the former Ajax assistant Felipe Sanchez Mateos, who called the KNVB, a “violent action”.
The case was quickly picked up by the public prosecutor of the KNVB, as well as the case of Ajax defender Ahmetcan Kaplan, who is said to have not been stopped in confrontations.
The KNVB announced on Wednesday that Vaessen would receive a suspension of four games, three of which are unconditional. FC Groningen and Vaessen accepted the range of settlement of the KNVB, which means that Vaessen will miss the first three games of the new season. Kaplan's case was rejected.
The Surinamese international has commented on his suspension through a story on Instagram. “Apologies for my behavior after the game,” Vaessen wrote. “(There were) several factors why I responded to the way I did, but that doesn't matter now! As a professional football player you are a role model. Let's pull a line under it and continue!”