Former African Player of the Year Award winner Didier Drogba has been fined by the Major League Soccer (MLS) after he refused to feature for his club Montreal Impact.
The former Ivory Coast skipper demanded that he be left off the game in its entirety after he was set to be left out of the starting squad for the Toronto FC game last Sunday.
The English Premier League veteran has netted ten goals in 21 gmes for the club this term. He joined last term after a succesful return to Chelsea in the 2014/15 season. He had an issue with the club and wanted to be off the squad if he was not going to play, but the club’s president Joey Saputo insists that the relationship has been patched up. The 38-yar old player just couldnot escape a reprimand from the league . The MLS fined the player – but refused to disclose the amount.
Saputo made the claims on Tuesday, but the MLS fined the player on Friday in line with the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
One of the most decorated African players has been an unused substitute in two of the last four games for Impact. However, he is set to feature when Impact play New England Revolution on Sunday in the last match of the campaign. Montreal are in fifth position in the Eastern Conference, and have been assured a berth at the end of season play-offs.
Aside Drogba, the MLS fined New York City’s Diego Martinez for his colourful words at a DC United ball boy. The defender’s statements were deemed ‘homophobic’ but an investiation found no evidence against the player. He was fined for using obscene language for the match played on Otctber 16th. He is set to continue featuring for his club.