Liverpool decided not to appeal the ban though they maintain the player’s innocence.
“In its determination to prove its conclusions to the public through a clearly subjective 115-page document, the FA panel has damaged the reputation of one the Premier League’s best players, deciding he should be punished and banned for perhaps a quarter of a season,” Liverpool’s statement said. “This case has also provided a template in which a club’s rival can bring about a significant ban for a top player without anything beyond an accusation.”
