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England striker Lauren James has been handed a two-game suspension following her red card incident involving a stamp on Super Falcon’s Michelle Alozie during England’s victory over Nigeria.
During the Lionesses’ last-16 clash, the 21-year-old standout, who had been England’s standout player in the tournament, was initially shown a yellow card by the referee for her action. However, following a VAR review, the yellow card was elevated to a red card due to the severity of the offense.
As a result of the red card, James was automatically sidelined for England’s upcoming match. Subsequently, a FIFA disciplinary panel reviewed the situation and decided to extend her suspension by two additional matches.
FIFA’s disciplinary committee determined that James’ actions constituted ‘serious foul play,’ warranting a two-game ban, rather than being classified as violent conduct.
This decision implies that if England progresses to the final or the third/fourth place play-off of the tournament, James, who has netted three goals in four matches, could potentially be available for selection.
In an official statement, FIFA addressed the matter, stating, ‘The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has sanctioned England’s player, Lauren James, with a two-match suspension in accordance with article 14 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, following an infraction during the FIFA Women’s World Cup match between England and Nigeria.’
The suspension entails James being unavailable for both the FIFA Women’s World Cup™️ quarter-final and the subsequent international fixture.
James expressed regret for her actions and issued an apology through the FA for the incident that led to her dismissal in the 87th minute of England’s triumph over Nigeria.
The FA conveyed, ‘Lauren deeply regrets her actions which led to the issuance of the red card and is profoundly sorry. This behavior is entirely uncharacteristic of her.’
The FA affirmed its commitment to support James throughout this process and indicated their intention to provide representation on her behalf. They acknowledged and respected FIFA’s disciplinary proceedings, opting to withhold further commentary until a final decision has been reached.
