Defoe escapes FA action
Photographs showing the incident dominated Monday's newspapers
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Monday, 23, Oct 2006 09:40
Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe will not face further punishment for allegedly biting Javier Mascherano, the Football Association (FA) has confirmed.
The 24-year-old was booked for appearing to bite Mascherano's arm after being fouled by the Argentine midfielder during Sunday's stormy London derby at White Hart Lane.
Defoe, who started in the 1-0 win over the Hammers, will face no charges with the yellow card shown to the livewire striker deemed to be sufficient by the FA.
The England forward had dismissed the incident saying it "had been blown out of all proportion" while Spurs boss Martin Jol had described Defoe's reaction as "comical" after being repeatedly fouled.
Sports minister Richard Caborn had called on the FA to look at video evidence of the game.
Defoe's agent Sky Andrew said the striker wants to put the incident behind him.
"Jermain says he did not bite anyone. He's a very passionate boy about his football. It was a tough game and an intense environment but he says he did not bite him," he told the BBC.
"Jermain regrets the way he did retaliate and accepts he should not have retaliated at all but it has been blown up out of all proportion."
The only time when the FA has punished a player further was Ben Thatcher's infamous forearm smash on Pedro Mendes earlier this season.