That Grauniad article:
The Football Association will take no action against Nigel de Jong over the tackle that left the Newcastle United winger Hatem Ben Arfa with a broken leg.
Ben Arfa was stretchered off following a robust challenge by De Jong in the third minute of yesterday's match at Eastlands, which Manchester City won 2-1. The 23-year-old Frenchman suffered a broken tibia and fibula of his left leg and underwent successful surgery this morning.
Because the referee Martin Atkinson admitted he saw the incident at the time and decided not to punish De Jong, the FA cannot pursue the matter. However, the midfielder was today dropped from the Holland squad for their upcoming Euro 2012 qualifiers against Moldova and Sweden.
The Holland coach, Bert van Marwijk, said he saw "no alternative" but to remove De Jong, adding: "I've seen the pictures back. It was a wild and unnecessary offence. He went in much too hard. It is unfortunate, especially since he does not need to do it.
You can see from this small slice how murky things can be made to be. The FA will be taking no action because there is nothing to act on, the tackle was robust, and this word does not imply in the slightest a tackle that was illegal, and how could Atkinson 'punish' de Jong if no offence was committed. Oh, but Our Bert, father-in-law to serial transgressor, Marc, thinks there was an 'offence', despite the ref saying not! Murky!
