Torquay United midfielder Joss Labadie has received a ten-match ban and a fine of £2,000 from the FA found him guilty of biting an opponent during the Gulls' league clash with Chesterfield last month.
Labadie, 23, who scored the winner for Torquay in their recent 2-1 win over Rochdale- ironically one of Chesterfield's main promotion rivals- which boosts the Gulls' chances of beating the drop was issued the punishment, which will see him miss the same number of matches that Luis Suarez did when he bit Branislav Ivanovic when Liverpool played Chelsea last season.
The former Notts County midfielder was alleged to have bitten Spireites' striker Ollie Banks during the clash between the Gulls and Chesterfield on February 15th, and the accusations first emerged when Banks posted pictures on Twitter of what he claimed to be bite marks.
Spireites manager Paul Cook later claimed that Chesterfield's French striker Armand Gnanduillet had been bitten at the club's AGM a few days later.
However, Chesterfield did not make an official complaint at the time nor did match referee Carl Boyeson take any action over the alleged incident.
Nevertheless, if it can be successfully proved beyond all reasonable doubt that Banks' wound was indeed a bite mark then it is only right that the punishment should be upheld.
Torquay have until midday on Monday 17th March to appeal against the decision, which could potentially see Labadie absent for the remainder of the season.
