MLS released the following statement April 9 regarding its Disciplinary Committee's suspension and fining of D.C. United player/assistant coach Hristo Stoitchkov:

Major League Soccer's Disciplinary Committee today announced that D.C. United's Hristo Stoitchkov has been fined and suspended as a result of a challenge that severely injured American University midfielder Freddy Llerena during a scrimmage on March 25.

Following a lengthy and thorough investigation by the MLS Disciplinary Committee, Stoitchkov has been assessed a fine of $2,000 and ruled ineligible for D.C. United's first two matches of the 2003 season (April 12 at Kansas City and April 19 vs. Chicago). Stoitchkov has already served a one-game suspension as a result of the red card he was issued for the foul and was voluntarily held out of an exhibition against the A-League's Richmond Kickers on Saturday.

The incident occurred shortly after the 10th minute of an exhibition match at American University. Llerena suffered a compound fracture of his right tibia and fibula on the play. Stoitchkov was immediately shown a red card following the challenge although the match was abandoned shortly thereafter by the referee due to the extent of Llerena's injury.

In conducting their investigation, the MLS Disciplinary Committee conducted a frame-by-frame analysis of three separate videotapes and interviewed the officiating crew assigned to the match, both head coaches, Stoitchkov and various eye witnesses. Llerena declined the opportunity to speak with the Disciplinary Committee. The final decision was reached following consultation of the League's Technical Advisory Panel, which included a former MLS player and coach, both of whom reviewed videotape of the incident.

The MLS Disciplinary Committee was created to protect the integrity of MLS competition through monitoring both player behavior and referee performance. In addition to the Disciplinary Committee, MLS regularly convenes a Technical Advisory Panel to review on-field instances of player misconduct. The identities of Advisory Panel members are kept confidential, but the group is selected from a pool of former MLS players and coaches. The Committee may act on an appeal from a team and also retains the right to review any incidents it deems necessary of its own volition.

MLS Deputy Commissioner Ivan Gazidis issued the following statement:

''Our hearts go out to Freddy and we wish him a speedy and full recovery. The Committee ruled unanimously, having seen and heard all the evidence available to it, that, however serious and tragic the injury to Freddy Llerena, Hristo Stoitchkov's challenge was made in the course of the game and was a play on the ball which was between the two players.

''Unfortunately, in the aftermath of the injury, inaccurate descriptions of the incident were publicly circulated by those who did not have the benefit of reviewing the video evidence or interviewing those involved in and around the incident. The discipline imposed upon Stoitchkov is in line with MLS discipline to players involved in comparable incidents over the years in MLS games.''

A detailed explanation of the MLS Disciplinary Committee's Review follows:

MLS Disciplinary Committee Review – Wednesday, April 09, 2003

Incident: Stoitchkov / Llerena, March 25, 2003

The MLS Disciplinary Committee has concluded a thorough investigation into the incident that occurred on March 25 2003 in a scrimmage game between DC United and American University. That investigation consisted of the following:

1. Frame-by-frame analysis of three videotape recordings of the incident in question, each shot from a unique vantage point.

2. Telephone interviews with the referee, the assistant referee, Hristo Stoitchkov, both Head Coaches, and various other witnesses. Freddy Llerena declined to provide an interview to the Disciplinary Committee.

3. Consultation with the Disciplinary Committee's technical panel, consisting of an ex-MLS player and an ex-MLS Head Coach, who have reviewed the videotapes.

Factual Description

The first ten minutes of the game are not punctuated with incident, other than DC United's opening goal and a hard foul by Mike Petke, described by the referee and assistant referee as a ''tactical foul,'' which drew a yellow card. Stoitchkov is not involved in any controversial incident until the AU goal.

In the tenth minute of the game, AU scores an equalizing goal on a breakaway. During the play Stoitchkov appeals for offside. After the goal is given, Stoitchkov complains to the assistant referee on his side of the field that the goal was offside. The assistant referee explains his decision to Stoitchkov and both the referee and the assistant referee stated that at that point they felt that the issue was resolved. Stoitchkov did not receive any kind of reprimand for his complaint.

Shortly after the restart, Stoitchkov receives the ball 10 yards inside his own half of the field on the left hand side. He plays a long pass down the left side of the field into the corner for a DC United forward. The AU coach has stated that after he played this pass, Stoitchkov was continuing to complain to the assistant referee about the offside, but the assistant referee states that, to his recollection, this was not the case.

The ball is won by the AU defender who clears it near the touchline at pace toward Freddy Llerena. The ball travels on the full to Llerena, who at this time is facing the ball. Llerena is 10 yards from the touchline and approximately 15 yards inside his own half. At the moment that the ball arrives at Llerena, Stoitchkov is approximately 8 yards away and closing in on him.

Llerena has trouble controlling the ball with his right leg and the ball pops up over his right shoulder towards Stoitchkov's run. It is approximately 7-8 feet in the air at its highest point. Llerena turns to his right as Stoitchkov closes in at speed. Both players extend their legs forward (Llerena his right, Stoitchkov his left) towards the ball as it falls, with their trailing legs planted behind them. Llerena's approach to the ball is at around 10 o'clock while Stoitchkov's is approximately 6 o'clock.

Llerena extends his right foot approximately 2 and a half feet off the ground towards the falling ball and directly towards the oncoming Stoitchkov. Stoitchkov extends his left foot towards the falling ball and toward Llerena. Stoitchkov's foot is approximately 3 feet off the ground and his left cleat is exposed. The videotape evidence shows that Stoitchkov makes contact with the ball first, just above Llerena's outstretched right foot, as the ball is approximately 3 feet from the ground, with the sole of his left foot. Llerena withdraws his right foot and plants it on the ground, leaning away from the challenge and turning toward his left as he does so. Stoitchkov's momentum carries him forward into Llerena, the exposed sole of his left foot coming down below Llerena's knee on Llerena's now planted right leg. As his left foot comes down, Stoitchkov's body turns to the right so that his back is now turned to Llerena. Llerena goes to the ground and Stoitchkov follows him down.

Llerena sustained a compound fracture of his right tibia and fibula in the incident.

Reaction

The injuries described by AU Head Coach, Todd West, suggest that the force of the impact from Stoitchkov's left foot came down on the back of the calf of Llerena's right leg. From the videotape evidence, this is not indicative of a challenge from behind, but rather of the fact that Llerena turns away from the challenge to his left and away from Stoitchkov.

As Llerena lies on the ground, Stoitchkov quickly returns to his feet. The referee immediately whistles the play dead and issues a red card to Stoitchkov. The referee and the assistant referee state that they think Stoitchkov dissented against the call after receiving the card, but this is not apparent from the videotape. Stoitchkov indicates he said nothing. What is apparent is that Stoitchkov receives the red card and turns immediately to make his way back to the D.C. United bench.

Stoitchkov and a member of the AU training staff make contact with each other as Stoitchkov leaves the field, but there does not appear to be evidence of intention on either side with regard to this contact. The AU trainer is running backwards and gesturing as he bumps with Stoitchkov. Stoitchkov does not change his direction and contact is made between them. It is not possible to conclude with any certainty that this represented a gesture of defiance by Stoitchkov.

Stoitchkov reports that he does not immediately realize that he has broken Llerena's leg, but as he leaves the field, he hears people saying ''You broke his leg.'' As Stoitchkov reaches the DC bench area, he is reported by Ray Hudson, the DC United Head Coach, and John Trask, the DC United Assistant Coach, to be distraught and asking teammates, ''Did I break his leg?'' He is answered in the affirmative and sits down on the bench with his head in his hands. He then re-enters the field holding his head and kneels down at the side of Llerena (46 seconds after the foul occurred), speaking to him in Spanish until the ambulance arrives.

Conclusions

The challenge itself is a play on the ball. It is not outside the course of play, nor can it be described as an assault.

It is unclear from the evidence what Stoitchkov's state of mind was when entering into the challenge. Neither the referee nor the assistant referee felt that there was dissent worthy of a yellow card – despite instructions under the League's dissent initiative in 2003 to deal with dissent by issuing a yellow card. Neither judged there was an ongoing issue that needed to be dealt with. Based on the judgment of the officials on the field, therefore, the Committee does not believe it appropriate to impute intentions on the basis of Stoitchkov's complaint regarding the goal.

Both the referee and assistant referee believe that Stoitchkov dissented after his red card, but he does not appear, either from their testimony or from the video evidence, to have been in an agitated state. Stoitchkov does not believe he said anything to either the referee or the assistant referee on leaving the field. He does not appear to have been immediately remorseful, or to have immediately realized that Llerena was seriously injured.

Against this background, the Disciplinary Committee does not believe that it can determine with any certainty that there was any intent to injure or a reckless disregard for Llerena's safety.

However, the Committee is of the opinion that Stoitchkov did not have to challenge with the amount of force used or with his cleats up. Given the nature of the challenge, albeit on the ball, with cleats exposed, and particularly given the serious injuries resulting from the challenge, the Committee feels that punishment beyond that dictated by a normal red card offense is warranted. Furthermore, the Committee believes that the punishment should extend to the MLS Regular Season, notwithstanding that this was a scrimmage game. The Disciplinary Committee has therefore decided as follows:

1. Stoitchkov will be fined the sum of $2,000.

2. In addition to the mandatory and voluntary suspensions he has already served, Stoitchkov will be suspended for the first 2 games of the MLS regular season, at the Kansas City Wizards on April 12 and at home to the Chicago Fire on April 19.