The FA has released written reasons behind their Independent Regulatory Commission’s decision to suspend Blues skipper Sam Morsy for four games following his clash with Accrington Stanley’s Ethan Hamilton.
Morsy was charged with violent conduct by the FA for the incident which took place just before the half hour in Town’s 2-1 victory over Stanley at Portman Road.
The referee, Geoff Eltringham, missed the incident at the time and had already submitted his report before emailing the FA after seeing video footage, which had been widely shared on social media following a tweet by Accrington chairman Andy Holt.
At the hearing held last Tuesday, Town provided additional evidence to the Commission, former players Stuart Ripley and Lawrie Sanchez and ex-referee Ray Olivier.
However, they felt it "was not easy to make out what had occurred from the footage provided by ITFC but it could be seen that SM [Morsy] raised his right arm and made contact with the Accrington player”.
The Commission believed the evidence of the footage conclusively illustrated a ‘serious missed incident’ of violent conduct.
"From the footage provided by the FA, all three Commission members felt that they could comfortably say that SM had deliberately struck his opponent in the face with his right hand as they came together.
"It was, to the mind of the Commission, clear that SM had rapidly jabbed his hand out towards the face of his opponent.”
The FA’s written reasons can be found in full here. Morsy has served two matches of his ban but will miss Saturday’s home game against Gillingham and next Tuesday’s trip to Doncaster Rovers.