Jay Rodriguez given three more weeks to respond to his FA racial abuse charge after clash with Gaetan Bong
West Brom striker, who denies the allegation, was originally given until Friday to declare if he planned to fight charge
JAY RODRIGUEZ has been given three more weeks to respond to his FA charge of racially abusing Brighton’s Gaetan Bong.
The West Brom striker, who vehemently denies the allegation, was originally given until Friday to declare if he planned to fight the charge or accept his guilt.
However SunSport can reveal the FA has extended the 28-year-old England striker’s time-frame because he was involved in West Brom’s Monday night live TV game against Chelsea.
They also took into consideration the fact Rodriguez was then whisked away to Barcelona with his West Brom team-mates for a training camp after the match.
Rodriguez now has until Friday, March 9 at 6pm to either fight to clear his name or accept the charge that he had: “used abusive and/or insulting words which included a reference to the ethnic origin and/or colour and/or race.”
Rodriguez has already vowed to take the issue all the way, and may even go to court if necessary.
He is expected to reject the charge and fight to clear his name.
However he must go through the formality of confirming to the FA he denies their charge, which carries a MINIMUM five-match ban if he is found guilty by an independent three-man FA Regulatory Commission.
The FA’s tough rules were brought in five years ago following high-profile cases involving Chelsea's John Terry and Liverpool's Luis Suarez.
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Terry was handed a four-match ban and a £220,000 fine for racially abusing QPR defender Anton Ferdinand in October 2011, while Suarez received an eight-match suspension and a £40,000 fine for his abuse of Manchester United's Patrice Evra.
However in both cases the players involved admitted using the phrases they were charged with uttering - but claimed their words were taken out of context.
Rodriguez is adamant he never used the phrase he is accused of at all and will leave no stone unturned in his fight to clear his name, including the logical step of bringing in a lip-reader to clear up his exact words.
The flashpoint incident between Rodriguez and Bong occurred during the Baggies 2-0 victory over the Seagulls at The Hawthorns last month.
Following a collision the players clashed and Rodriguez pinched his own nose and wafted his hand in front of his face, in a gesture which is often used as a put down when players square up to each other.
SAVE THE JAY Jay Rodriguez to hire lip reader to fight racial abuse claims
Bong reacted furiously and accused Rodriguez of saying he: “stinks because he is black.”
The West Brom player says he is gutted at the accusation and has hinted he could even take the matter to court if found guilty, with the possibility he could sue Bong for defamation of character.