West Brom striker banned for two games after handball deception charge
Aune Heggebo received a two-match suspension for allegedly deceiving officials with a handball that led to West Brom's opening-season win.
During the season-opening Championship fixture, West Brom's Aune Heggebo seemed to handball the ball into the net, securing a 1-0 advantage over Norwich City. The Football Association subsequently charged him with misconduct for deceiving a match official, a provision introduced in 2017-18, and handed down a two-match suspension. West Brom contended the ball deflected off the goalkeeper before touching Heggebo's hand, leaving him less than a tenth of a second to react, and maintained the act was accidental.
The FA, however, deemed the evidence sufficient to prove deliberate deception, marking the first such charge in English football. The decision has reignited discussion about the need for VAR in the Championship and how players should respond to similar situations. Referee support group Ref Support UK welcomed the ruling, urging broader enforcement of the rule in the upcoming season.
Why it matters
The ban sets a precedent for penalising players who intentionally mislead officials in leagues without VAR.
In this story
