FIFA ban Joao Pinto for four months for hitting referee

Portuguese international Joao Pinto has been banned from all football until October 17th after punching a referee at the World Cup finals.

The four month ban is a lucky escape for the striker after he struck Argentinian referee Angel Sanchez in a 1-0 defeat by South Korea which dumped Portugal from the finals.

FIFA's disciplinary committee on Friday imposed a six-month suspension but ruled two of those were considered a partial suspension for the 30 year old Sporting Lisbon.

Pinto was also put on probation for one year and if he strikes a match official again he will be banned for an additional two months.

He was also fined about £25,000.

"The evidence in FIFA's possession, i.e. the reports submitted by the match referee, the match commissioner and the referee inspector, as well as other witnesses reports, indicated that Joao Pinto had punched referee Angel Sanchez of Argentina in the stomach when he showed him the red card. The act of striking a referee is considered a serious violation of the Disciplinary Code," said the disciplinary statement from FIFA.