Wenger calls for ethics committee

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has suggested that an ‘ethics committee’ should be introduced to the disciplinary process in English football.

Wenger saw Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli – who was sent off for picking up two yellow cards at the Emirates Stadium on April 8 – escape further action from the FA for a dangerous high tackle on Alex Song.

On the same weekend, QPR’s Shaun Derry was sent off at Old Trafford after Manchester United winger Ashley Young went down under minimal contact from the midfielder.

Derry’s ban was upheld after an appeal from QPR, and Wenger said there is little sense in evaluating individual incidents in the context of one game.

“Basically we are in the position at the moment where if somebody takes a player’s leg off, if the referee has seen it and misjudged it, the player gets away with it,” the Frenchman told the club’s official magazine.

“For me that is not acceptable.

“If you love football you want justice to prevail. How can it be right that Shaun Derry is suspended and Mario Balotelli isn’t?

“Even if each case might make sense individually when they are explained, when you put the whole picture together you have to say it’s not common sense. So there is something missing from the cohesion of the justice system.

“I am convinced that a committee with a supreme authority – an ethics committee – could rule on some cases, and make sure justice is done. They should have the power after games, in exceptional circumstances, to make a decision above the referee. Then the system would be perfect.”