Beckham won't be punished

13 April 2012

England captain David Beckham is likely to escape punishment by the Football Association, even though television pictures showed him elbowing his international colleague Lee Bowyer in the face at Elland Road on Saturday.

But although referee Jeff Winter yesterday cleared Beckham of 'deliberately' elbowing Bowyer, Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson last night promised to get tough on players who use their elbows.

Although it is still possible for the incident to be referred to the video panel, that is now considered unlikely by Soho Square insiders.

The panel only sits when match officials miss contentious incidents, but Beckham could still be brought to trial if FA disciplinary chiefs press for the referee to review the challenge.

Winter said he had not watched a re-run but was happy with his decision. He admitted his view was 'not perfect', but the Stockton-on-Tees official is convinced Beckham did not act with malicious intent.

Winter said: 'I saw it as a careless challenge worthy of a free-kick. If more is being construed, I don't know. I was looking through the back of two players. Both went for the ball and both had arms raised. I don't feel there was deliberate use of the elbow. Although it was not a perfect view, that's why I gave what I gave.'

Leeds midfielder Bowyer also refused to condemn Beckham, saying: 'I don't want to say anything negative about David. He's a great player and I've a lot of respect for him.'

With Fabien Barthez facing a police investigation after a Leeds fan was hit in the eye by a bottle, the former champions are in disarray following their 1-0 defeat at Elland Road. They also face an injury crisis before Wednesday's Champions League match with Maccabi Haifa.

Ferguson fined Roy Keane two weeks' wages for the elbowing incident involving Jason McAteer last month, when the Irishman was dismissed against Sunderland. If he sees Beckham's offence in a similar light, the England midfielder could face equal punishment.

'The players know my views on these things,' said Ferguson. 'Use of the elbow is not in our vocabulary. Bowyer went down pretty quickly but I need to see it on television.'

Arsenal's Thierry Henry may also find himself under scrutiny after TV cameras appeared to show him aiming an elbow at Charlton's John Robinson during the champions' 3-0 win at The Valley.

Harry Kewell's second-half header condemned United to their second defeat on the trot and they have endured their worst six-game start to the season since 1989.

Worse still, Barthez is alleged to have kicked or thrown a water bottle into the crowd in angry reaction to conceding the 65thminute winner.

Both the FA and the Premier League have been informed of the claims made by a Leeds fan in his 30s, who lodged an official complaint with West Yorkshire police after needing medical treatment.

Detectives are expected to travel to Manchester early this week to quiz Barthez.

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David Jones (Footballer)

Beckham won't be punished

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