|
|
Other News |
Beckham’s obscene gesture creates row |
|
News |
|
|
June 14, 2000 EINDHOVEN,
Netherlands (AP) - David Beckham
was back in the news for the wrong reasons Tuesday after being pictured
making an obscene gesture
to English fans taunting him after the 3-2 defeat against Portugal.
A
section of fans hurled abuse at the players as they trudged off the
pitch Monday. And the hot-headed Manchester United star, constantly abused
by rival fans in the English league, responded by raising a finger.
The
picture was published on the front page of many English newspapers
Tuesday morning.
Hans
Hultman, spokesman for European soccer's governing body UEFA,
said disciplinary action was possible, but as yet unlikely.
"If
a player makes a rude gesture and it is reported by the referee,
the referee's assessor or anyone who sees it, he could be reported to the
disciplinary committee.
"But
we don't expect that in this case because no one mentioned it
after the game. However, it is possible."
English
soccer officials placed the blame squarely on the supporters,
accusing them of "disgusting foul-mouthed abuse."
The
English Football Association's spokesman, Steve Double, said he
would like to have seen the fans arrested.
"Although
they were clearly English, they were not from a sector reserved
for the England Members Club and we would like to disassociate ourselves
from the sort of behavior that they displayed,"
he said.
"It
is fair to say that everybody who heard what was being said was
deeply shocked that their own people could have behaved in such a way. We
believe they were drunk."
"We
will be making observations about the security arrangements when
the players leave the pitch for future games in the tournament."
It's
not the first time Beckham has responded to abuse from fans.
He
escaped disciplinary action last season after a similar gesture
to fans of Leeds United who were insulting his wife, pop star Victoria
Adams, of the Spice Girls.
In 1998, Beckham was sent off for kicking Argentina's Diego Simeone in the World Cup - a match that England went on to lose in a penalty shootout. That led to Beckham becoming Public Enemy No. 1 at stadiums across England. |