An independent panel has come to a unanimous decision over Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice’s controversial red card against Brighton.
Declan Rice, aged 25, was dismissed by referee Chris Kavanagh during the Premier League game at the Emirates on August 31, which ended in a 1-1 draw. Already on a yellow card, Rice received a second booking for moving the ball away from Joel Veltman, who then fouled Rice as he attempted a quick free-kick in the 49th minute.
Rice was furious over the red card, the first of his career, and the resulting one-match suspension will keep him out of the north London derby against Tottenham on Saturday.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta expressed his frustration with Kavanagh and the officials in his post-match comments.
“I was stunned. Stunned by the inconsistency of the decisions,” Arteta said. “In the first half, two incidents occur with no action taken. Then, in a non-critical situation, Declan touches the ball without seeing the opponent coming.”
“Legally, the referee can make that call, but by law, he should also make the subsequent call for a red card so the teams play 10 against 10. This inconsistency is surprising at this level.”
Despite Arteta’s complaints, the Key Match Incidents (KMI) panel, which reviews major refereeing decisions in the Premier League weekly, confirmed that Kavanagh’s decision to send off Rice was correct. The panel judged Rice’s actions as “clear, deliberate, and impactful,” and deemed the second yellow card appropriate. The panel, which supported the referee unanimously, stated, “Rice’s action was intentional—though subtle, the referee had no alternative.”
The Key Match Incidents (KMI) panel, which is independent and consists of three former players or coaches, one Premier League representative, and one member from the Professional Game Match Officials Board (PGMOL), confirmed the decision to dismiss Rice.
Rice, who is slated to play for England against Finland on Tuesday, will miss Arsenal’s match against Tottenham this weekend. Arsenal cannot appeal the suspension since it stems from two yellow cards rather than a direct red card. An appeal can only be made if the dismissal involved mistaken identity.
Therefore, Rice is expected to return for Arsenal’s opening Champions League game of the season against Atalanta on September 19.
