Hazard sorry for kicking ball boy
Source: AFP |
January 25, 2013, Friday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
EDEN Hazard has apologized after his extraordinary dismissal for kicking a ball boy during Chelsea's League Cup semi-final second leg at Swansea City.
Wednesday's match finished 0-0, giving Swansea a 2-0 aggregate victory, but the game was overshadowed by an incident 10 minutes from full-time that saw Hazard sent off for an altercation with a ball boy.
The Belgian international seemed to get annoyed when the boy failed to return the ball promptly after it went out of play for a Swansea goal kick.
After a tussle, the youngster ended up lying on top of the ball and Hazard appeared to kick him as he tried to retrieve the ball from underneath him.
Following a brief delay, during which the grimacing boy was attended to by Chelsea's players, referee Chris Foy showed Hazard a straight red card.
"The boy put his whole body onto the ball and I was just trying to kick the ball and I think I kicked the ball and not the boy. I apologize," Hazard said.
"The ball boy came in the changing room and we had a quick chat and I apologized and the boy apologized as well, and it is over. Sorry."
Police investigation
South Wales police have announced that they will investigate the incident, but Swansea said the boy had told police he did not want to press charges.
"The police have interviewed the boy and his father and there are no charges going to be pressed. As far as they are concerned, that is the matter closed," said a Swansea spokesman. "The ball boy has been into the Chelsea dressing room after the game and shaken hands with Eden Hazard. The likes of John Terry and Frank Lampard were exemplary in their behavior in welcoming him into the dressing room.
"Chelsea asked if he could come in and our kit lady took him in and they shook hands, he is fine. As far as we are concerned, the matter is closed. He has been a ball boy here for six years with no incidents here at the stadium."
Chelsea interim manager Rafael Benitez initially said the ball boy was "wasting time", but he reacted angrily to claims he had condoned Hazard's behavior.
"I do not know what you expect from me," he told reporters.
"Do you think we are not disappointed with the situation, that we do not regret what happened? Do you think they have not apologized?"
He added: "We will deal with this internally. We will analyze and wait to see if there is any action from the FA (Football Association)."
Wednesday's match finished 0-0, giving Swansea a 2-0 aggregate victory, but the game was overshadowed by an incident 10 minutes from full-time that saw Hazard sent off for an altercation with a ball boy.
The Belgian international seemed to get annoyed when the boy failed to return the ball promptly after it went out of play for a Swansea goal kick.
After a tussle, the youngster ended up lying on top of the ball and Hazard appeared to kick him as he tried to retrieve the ball from underneath him.
Following a brief delay, during which the grimacing boy was attended to by Chelsea's players, referee Chris Foy showed Hazard a straight red card.
"The boy put his whole body onto the ball and I was just trying to kick the ball and I think I kicked the ball and not the boy. I apologize," Hazard said.
"The ball boy came in the changing room and we had a quick chat and I apologized and the boy apologized as well, and it is over. Sorry."
Police investigation
South Wales police have announced that they will investigate the incident, but Swansea said the boy had told police he did not want to press charges.
"The police have interviewed the boy and his father and there are no charges going to be pressed. As far as they are concerned, that is the matter closed," said a Swansea spokesman. "The ball boy has been into the Chelsea dressing room after the game and shaken hands with Eden Hazard. The likes of John Terry and Frank Lampard were exemplary in their behavior in welcoming him into the dressing room.
"Chelsea asked if he could come in and our kit lady took him in and they shook hands, he is fine. As far as we are concerned, the matter is closed. He has been a ball boy here for six years with no incidents here at the stadium."
Chelsea interim manager Rafael Benitez initially said the ball boy was "wasting time", but he reacted angrily to claims he had condoned Hazard's behavior.
"I do not know what you expect from me," he told reporters.
"Do you think we are not disappointed with the situation, that we do not regret what happened? Do you think they have not apologized?"
He added: "We will deal with this internally. We will analyze and wait to see if there is any action from the FA (Football Association)."
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