West Ham’s defender, Hawa Cissoko, has been handed a two-match ban and a £200 fine for punching Aston Villa’s Sarah Mayling during a Women’s Super League clash last month. The incident occurred in the 91st minute and resulted in Cissoko being shown a red card. Both teams and the coaching staff were involved in the altercation, leading to chaotic scenes on the pitch.
The FA confirmed Cissoko’s suspension on Wednesday November 2, following an investigation into the incident. The governing body also imposed fines on both clubs and West Ham boss Paul Konchesky. Aston Villa Women FC and West Ham United Women FC were fined £1,000 each for breaching FA Rule E20.
Cissoko was found guilty of two breaches of FA Rule E3 and accepted her two-match suspension and £200 fine. West Ham United Women FC manager Paul Konchesky and Aston Villa Women FC Operations Assistant Jack Hopkins were also fined for breaching FA Rule E3.
In the aftermath of Cissoko’s sending off, West Ham reported racist abuse directed at the player on social media and vowed to support her. The club strongly condemned the hateful messages and took appropriate actions, including reporting the abuse to the police and relevant social media companies.
West Ham reiterated its zero-tolerance approach to discrimination and urged social media platforms and regulatory authorities to enhance measures in preventing such behavior. The club emphasized its commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion, offering full support to Cissoko through its dedicated employee assistance program.
