QPR’s Kane slugged with seven-game ban over Canos abuse

QPR defender Todd Kane has been banned for seven matches by the Football Association and fined £6,000 after admitting to using abusive and insulting language against Brentford’s Sergi Canos.

Following a FA hearing, Kane was sanctioned for contravening Rule E3.1 that constituted an “Aggravated Breach”, which is defined in FA Rule E3.2, as the language included a reference, whether express or implied, to nationality and ethnicity.

Kane will also be subject to internal disciplinary procedures from the club following the incident, which took place during Rangers’ 2-1 win in a bad-tempered derby clash at the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium in February.

However, in a detailed statement Rangers revealed defender Rob Dickie, who acted as witness for Kane, claimed Canos also used insulting language towards the former Chelsea trainee, but it was dismissed by the FA.

“The club want to make it clear that there is no justification for insults pertaining to someone else’s nationality,” the statement read.

“Todd knows this falls below the standards he sets for himself as well as the standards we set for our employees and is against the inclusive nature of the club.

“In mitigation, both Todd and Rob Dickie, who witnessed the incident, have consistently testified that Todd’s comment was in response to an opposition player using similar language about Todd’s nationality.

“Todd admitted using the wording “diving, foreign ‘expletive’ in response to being called an ‘expletive’ ugly, English ‘expletive’.

“The opposition player admitted using abusive language but denied referencing Todd’s nationality.

“This was accepted by the FA and no further action was taken against him.

“As a club we were surprised to learn the individual views of one opposition player have been believed by the FA while the views of two of our players were rejected, particularly given that both were praised by investigators for their forthright testimony.”