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El Salvador’s Larin suspended three games

Alexander Larin (Reuters)

If El Salvador's Under-23 men's national team is to qualify for this summer's Olympics, they will have to do so without one of their top defenders.

Alexander Larin was suspended three games by the FIFA Disciplinary Committee on Friday for his actions against the United States in last Monday's Group A finale in Olympic qualifying at LP Field in Nashville, Tenn.

Larin gave forward Terrence Boyd a bloody nose after punching him in the face during an off-the-ball incident in the second half of the 3-3 draw that eliminated the Americans. Larin, who also allegedly bit Mix Diskerud and Freddy Adu in the game, did not receive any punishment from the referees for punching Boyd inside the penalty area.

The suspension means Larin will not be available to play in El Salvador's pivotal match versus Honduras at Livetrong Sporting Park in Kansas City on Saturday evening. Should El Salvador win that match and book their place in the Summer Games, he'd also miss the Olympic qualifying tournament final and the first game of the Olympics.

If El Salvador loses to Hondruas, Larin will be forced to miss two games in the next Under-23 tournament.

What do you think of Larin being suspended three games by FIFA for his actions? Is it a just suspension or should it have been longer?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Justice delayed is justice denied. I still can’t believe there wasn’t more made of these incidents when they happened. Now I learn that Larin bit a Canadian player too? This isn’t about heart or spirit, it’s about thuggery and cowardice. Where were the American players and coaches when players were getting bitten and punched?! It just boggles the mind. Three games is a joke too. The officials deserve a suspension too.

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  2. “Alexander Larin is a [insert insult here]”

    i will be googling his name with as many insults as i can come up with in hopes that’s what people see when/if they search for him.

    i can’t remember what this is called, but Reddit has done it very successfully. the Santorum one being the best.

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  3. US Soccer should inquire to FIFA if the Mexican referee was aware of the Canada report on Larin, prior to the USA game.

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  4. “You don’t watch much international soccer do you?” Thanks for being condescending. I really don’t see your motivation to be such an a$$, I haven’t missed a us game since the 02′ world cup. “Sanctions were unavoidable in the AZ case since the violence was so intentional, so obvious and so clearly outside the rules.” please explain to me how larin’s punch and biting weren’t intentional, obvious, and outside the rules, both the US and canada filled complaints but frankly FIFA determining that larins actions merited a red card after the game isn’t good enough for me.

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  5. Wll it wasnt a penalty because the ball wa not been played in the box when the incident happen, but yes I agree with it was a red card

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  6. I said Mexican referee. You are the ignorant one as all this BS about how the US is terrible at soccer ignores the fact that in the best leagues in Europe where the best players from all over the world go, there are more US than Mexican players and they are getting at least equal playing as Mexican players in Europe. While the great Gio and Vela have had a lot difficulty getting playing time in the Prem, 2 Americans in the Prem scored yesterday including Dempsey who scored his 13th while the great Hernandez has 10. There are 16 US players who are receiving significant playing time for teams in the top 5 European leagues or for teams in the Europa league. The US is not deficient in skilled players (compared to other CONCACRAP teams) but clearly have a very few competent American born coaches. Having Porter coach the U23 team shows the low average level of expertise of US coaches. That is why they lost to Canada for the first time in 20 years and Mexico never does.

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  7. Better at what?: Punching opposing players knowing the Mexican ref will NOT penalize them? You call biting and punching opposing players “heart”. ES tied the game because instead of playing with 10 men and the US being awarded a penalty kick, they were permitted to intimidate the US players. I remember I saw a Gold Cup final when the US beat Panama at Giants Stadium. The crowd was small so I sat very close to the field. It was close enough to observe, that some US players were clearly not giving 100% because they didn’t want to get the type of injury Arguedelo has or an equally serious injury because the Panamanians had nothing to lose and they were particularly trying to hurt Beasley. So Beasley dogged it. When players know the opposing team can actually punch you and maybe break your nose and the ref will look the other way, it isn’t soccer anymore. Larin (did he have his rabies shots?)also has bitten opposing players. As long as he only bites Canadians and Americans it’s not considered a foul by CONCACRAP refs.All the talk of lack of skill, etc etc.. is BS. Yesterday, 2 Americans scored in the best league in the world the Prem. How many Salvadoreans play in one of the top European leagues? Porter was a terrible choice as he has only coached college soccer. But the talk about lack of skill is not accurate.

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  8. You don’t watch much international soccer do you?

    This sort of bad foul is SOP when the stakes are really high.

    Larin’s actions are notable mostly because he got caught and is being sanctioned after the fact. That is the shocking part.

    Sanctions were unavoidable in the AZ case since the violence was so intentional, so obvious and so clearly outside the rules.

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  9. There is a comparison, violence. The AZ situation was clearly worse but something has to be done about the ineptitude of Concacaf referees. Would a forfeit have been any worse? Unsporting behavior is taking a dive or time wasting. If this was done in american sports serious ramifications would have been taken. There is no reason that we can’t hold international soccer to these standards.

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  10. Punched grabbed, sure….. bitten? By a man… never. I’ll concede maybe by a small child or a little girl. Sorry…. any team that has… and puts up with a member who has bitten people on multiple occasions forfeits the right to be called classy. Period.

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  11. Yes, Carlos has very strange values. I wouldn’t be surprised to see refs brought in from outside the area, because these values may be traditional.

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  12. I’m not saying it was right but be a man, you lost get over. How about the US apoligize for being so arrogant to buy there tickets to the next round ahead of time. That saids nothing but arrogance.

    About the bite, it wouldn’t have won you the game, it wasn’t gonna make you advance, it wouldn’t have erased the result to canada, wouldn’t take away that the US defence/gk was horrible. One players actions doesn’t take away from a collective teams effort, that’s all I’m saying. ES has earned the respect of everyone from a soccer standpoint.

    US, have fun being an underachieving, no heart, no balls, crying team.

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  13. Is this FIFA standard policy? I’m all for justice, but I get the feeling that FIFA did this just to because USSF complained. There’s still going to be De Jong’s out there kicking Spaniards in the ribs and breaking American legs without any sanction.

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  14. Is this serious?

    Crying about being bitten? You don’t think players have a right to complain about being FREAKING BITTEN during a soccer game?

    BITTEN. WITH YOUR FREAKING TEETH.

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  15. Regadless of Larins’s actions, ES has showed more class than the U.S and that’s why ES got farther. After the game they never said nothing negative about US player, continuosly thanked god for the opportunity given, never reacted negatively to being given plane tickets with US players name on them. Mixx and Freddy crying about being bitten after the game is a sign of weakness.

    Anyone whho plays a competitive sport has some story about being hitten, harrased, or something. You don’t cry about it, you just PLAY. The ref blew the game today vs ES but you don’t see them crying about it.

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  16. They also showed a lot of TEETH and FISTS. If they can manage to get their hands on the EYE, I think that’s enough to get into Dracula’s castle at the end of the game.

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