Matheus Cunha had his ban reduced after an incident following a Wolves match against Ipswich last month. The Brazilian forward was involved in a post-match altercation with an Ipswich staff member, which resulted in a three-match suspension and a £120,000 fine. However, the Football Association’s independent commission decided to reduce both the ban and the fine after considering Cunha’s prompt apology and his offer to replace the glasses of the Ipswich employee involved in the incident.
The altercation occurred after Wolves’ 2-1 defeat at Molineux, when Cunha became entangled with an Ipswich staff member, leading to a scuffle. In his statement, Cunha explained that his intention was never to come into physical contact with the employee. He stated that he was trying to push the man away from his teammate, Rayan Aït-Nouri, when the situation escalated. According to Cunha, the staff member grabbed his shirt, which made him feel threatened, especially as he was surrounded by a large group of Ipswich personnel. In the heat of the moment, Cunha admitted to grabbing the man’s glasses in an attempt to free himself from the hold. He expressed regret for his actions, acknowledging that it was wrong to do so.
The commission found Cunha’s explanation of the events to be somewhat implausible, as video footage did not show any provocation from the Ipswich staff member. However, they accepted that Cunha’s apology appeared sincere, which was considered a mitigating factor in their decision. Additionally, Cunha’s offer to pay for a new pair of glasses for the staff member was taken into account as an act of goodwill.
Despite the commission rejecting the argument that the Ipswich security personnel had contributed to the hostile atmosphere, they decided to reduce Cunha’s ban by one match, bringing it down from three games to two. Wolves had initially hoped for a one-match ban, but the commission did not accept this request. They stated that even if the Ipswich staff had been overly aggressive, it would not have justified Cunha’s actions.
As a result of the decision, Cunha missed Wolves’ 3-0 home defeat to Nottingham Forest on Monday night. He is set to complete his suspension when Wolves face Bristol City in the FA Cup on Saturday. The reduction in his ban and fine highlights the importance of personal accountability and apology in the decision-making process, even in cases involving physical altercations during matches.
