The MLS disciplinary committee is bringing down the hammer.
After reviewing the past weekend's matches, the league's disciplinary arm has suspended FC Dallas' Jair Benitez, D.C. United's Brandon McDonald and Vancouver Whitecaps' Atiba Harris a game apiece and fined them for violent conduct, and fined D.C. United's Danny Cruz for embellishment during their respective Week 4 matches.
Benitez threw a flailing elbow at Cruz while the two were fighting for possession in the corner late in D.C. United's 4-1 victory over FC Dallas, and Benitez earned his suspension for the elbow, while Cruz was fined for exaggerating the incident. Earlier in that same game, McDonald came in on Blas Perez with a harsh tackle from behind that earned a yellow card but was deemed to have deserved further discipline.
Harris, meanwhile, delivered a flagrant elbow to Philadelphia Union defender Carlos Valdes' head as he was trying to pass the ball forward from his own end, with the Whitecaps' forward drawing a yellow card for the incident.
The punishments come a week after the league elected to suspend and fine Houston Dynamo midfielder Adam Moffat for a hard tackle and fine Seattle Sounders midfielder Alvaro Fernandez for simulation in their Week 3 matchup.
What do you think of all of the discipline? Was it all warranted? Do you like the steps MLS is taking to punish hard challenges and simulation?
Share your thoughts below.