The FA will not take any formal disciplinary action over the injuries sustained by Peter Cech and his fellow Chelsea goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini in last Saturday's Premier League match at Reading.
The FA said on its website on Thursday that it had reviewed the circumstances and had contacted referee Mike Riley, who confirmed that the match officials saw both incidents at the time. "There will therefore be no further action," it said.
Czech Republic goalkeeper Cech, who has had an operation on a fractured skull, is likely to be out for several months after he was caught on the head by a sliding Stephen Hunt.
Hunt has apologised and denied the challenge was deliberate, a view supported by his club and the players' association.
Chelsea had asked the FA to investigate the challenge after manager Jose Mourinho said Cech was lucky to be alive.
The club's outspoken Portuguese manager also complained that it took 30 minutes for an ambulance to collect the stricken keeper and take him to hospital.
Reading said Mourinho's remarks contained "very serious factual inaccuracies" and issued a timeline of events.
The Cech incident was followed by substitute goalkeeper Cudicini also being carried off unconscious after a mid-air goalmouth collision with Ibrahima Sonko.
He was discharged from hospital on Saturday night and should be fit to play next week.
Third-choice keeper Hilario filled in against European champions Barcelona in the Champions League on Wednesday and the Portuguese debutant kept a clean sheet in a 1-0 win.
© Copyright 2008 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.
|