Qatar player Assim Madibo was given a five-match ban on Wednesday for the tackle that broke the leg of Canada midfielder Isma\u00ebl Kon\u00e9 at the World Cup.<\/p>\n
Madibo was issued a straight red card for the incident during Canada’s 6-0 victory over Qatar in Vancouver last Thursday.<\/p>\n
The FIFA disciplinary committee said the suspension was for serious foul play and that the decision was subject to appeal.<\/p>\n
Canada’s first World Cup victory was overshadowed by the injury to Kon\u00e9, who was taken off on a stretcher and later underwent surgery on broken tibia and fibula in his left leg.<\/p>\n
He was tackled from behind in the 51st minute and players around him immediately feared he had sustained a serious injury as he lay on the ground, holding his leg and covering his mouth with his hand.<\/p>\n
Madibo was also visibly upset and apologized in person to Kon\u00e9 after the game.<\/p>\n
“You can’t even imagine how grateful I am to everyone who reached out and that has me in their prayers,” Kon\u00e9 later posted on Instagram.<\/p>\n
The Qatar national team did not immediately respond to a request for comment by The Associated Press.<\/p>\n
The ban is not the biggest issued by FIFA at a World Cup. Uruguay striker Luis Suarez was given a nine-match suspension and banned from all soccer-related activity for four months for biting Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.<\/p>\n
In 1994, Italy defender Mauro Tassotti was suspended for eight games for an elbow on Spain forward Luis Enrique.<\/p>\n
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James Robson is at https:\/\/x.com\/jamesalanrobson<\/a><\/p>\n ___<\/p>\n AP World Cup: https:\/\/apnews.com\/fifa-world-cup<\/p>\n