Liverpool goalie Rafaela Borggräfe given six-game ban after reference to skin colour overheard by club colleagues.
The Football Association banned Liverpool goalkeeper Rafaela Borggräfe for six games when it was discovered that she had made a discriminatory remark involving a reference to skin colour.
Five games of that suspension have been served by Borggräfe. After an FA inquiry into the language, which some staff and players overheard, she agreed to the punishment and was also mandated to enrol in an education program.
It is believed that the comment was made while Liverpool were getting ready for a preseason squad portrait. Liverpool investigated the issue internally right away, and the FA was notified.
It is expected that additional information about this disciplinary case will not be made public due to player welfare considerations.
The Liverpool head coach, Gareth Taylor, said on Friday: “We have a slight update on the situation, in the sense that the FA has now completed its thorough investigation. They sanctioned the player with a six-game ban. That ban has been ongoing whilst we’ve been playing, so effectively she will be out of the running to be included this weekend, but after that she is available for selection.”
Asked how difficult it had been while this case had been ongoing, Taylor said: “The situation is the situation. The team and the club have acted in the appropriate way. We’ve supported the FA in this investigation. I will say, it’s been dragged on a little bit. I think that’s been frustrating for everyone involved, particularly Rafa. But we’re happy now that it’s completed, we’re happy now that we have some actual detail on what it looks like, and all of us can now move on.”