Prunea gets nine-month ban

FCM Bacau goalkeeper Florin Prunea has been banned from football for nine months for comments made about senior officials in the Romanian league.

Alleged threats
The 34-year-old has been handed a fine of €530 and banned from playing by the Romanian Professional League (LPF) after allegedly threatening its president, Dumitru Dragomir, in the course of a protest march by players outside the LPF's headquarters.

Derogatory comments
The LPF's disciplinary commission handed Prunea the ban after the former international made derogatory comments about Dragomir and other LPF officials in national television, radio and press interviews.

Protest march
As vice-president of the players' union, AFAN, Prunea was one of the leading lights of a protest against clubs' non-payment of wages, culminating just before Christmas in a protest march in Bucharest.

Further action
"Prunea wasn't judged as AFAN vice-president, but only as player," insisted disciplinary commission president Alexandru Boc. "He may be sued in civil courts by LPF officials, because during the protest he shouted that the LPF officials were thieves and mafiosi."

'Incitement to crime'
Dragomir added: "I cannot understand why he did what he did and why he organised the protest in front of the LPF headquarters, not in front of the clubs which have debts. And why did they shout 'We're going to bury Dragomir?' This is incitement to crime. I keep the right balance in our football and all I get is abuse."

Prunea defiant
Prunea remained defiant, pledging to appeal against his ban. "I was banned because of the players' protest and not for what I said," he insisted. "I was told that the punishment would be smaller if I made a public apology but I'll never do this."

Human rights
The case looks set to cause further controversy after the Romanian National Union Block promised to fight on for Prunea. "This verdict is against all national and international laws, as well as fundamental human rights," read a statement.