FA take no further action against Defoe

The Football Association have confirmed Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe will not face any further punishment for his alleged ‘bite’ on West Ham midfielder Javier Mascherano.

Defoe was booked by referee Steve Bennett when he reacted angrily to a challenge from behind by the Argentinian midfielder during Tottenham’s 1-0 victory at White Hart Lane on Sunday.

TV replays showed Defoe attempting to ‘bite’ Mascherano on the arm but the Spurs player claimed that his reaction, labelled a ‘comical nibble’ by coach Martin Jol, had been blown up out of all proportion.

Bennett’s decision to award him a yellow card is the main reason the England striker will not face any further charges from the FA.

The FA deem Bennett’s action as having dealt with the matter and as a result Defoe faces no further punishment.

Defoe’s agent Sky Andrew said his client now wants everybody to get back to concentrating on football and denied again that he had bitten the West Ham star.

Andrew said: “Jermain says he did not bite anyone. He’s very passionate boy about his football. It was a tough game and an intense environment but he says he did not bite him.

“Jermain regrets the way he did retaliate and accepts he should not have retaliated at all but it has been blown up out of all proportion,” Andrew added on Radio Five Live.

Defoe had earlier claimed that Bennett would have issued him with a red card if he thought he had been guilty of biting his opponent.

Defoe said: “The referee was standing right over me and if he felt I had done anything bad he would have sent me off.

“The incident doesn’t look great on TV and I accept that as a role model to kids I have a responsibility to conduct myself in the right way which I always try to do on and off the pitch.”