Olympique de Marseille has formally approached the National Olympic and Sports Committee of France (CNOSF) to appeal for a reduction in the three-match suspension imposed on striker Iliman Ndiaye by the LFP disciplinary committee.
The Senegalese forward, who has already served two matches of the suspension, was withheld from the OM-Rennes clash due to an injury sustained by Breton defender Jeanuël Belocian.
As per reports from Eurosport, OM initiated contact with the CNOSF on Tuesday, aiming to mitigate the severity of the sanction handed down by the LFP disciplinary committee to Iliman Ndiaye.
The club, deeming the punishment as “very severe,” officially received the disciplinary commission’s detailed decision on Monday, prompting their decision to contest the ruling before the National Olympic and Sports Committee.
Marseille’s head coach, Gennaro Gattuso, expressed his perspective on the matter last week, stating, “There’s not much I can do, and I don’t want to get into a fair or unfair debate. It seems excessive to me, but out of respect for the referees, I don’t want to go any further.”
Ndiaye’s suspension stems from a red card received during the OM-Rennes encounter for a challenge on Jeanuël Belocian. Having already served two suspension matches against Lyon (3-0) and Lorient (4-2), the potential reduction in the ban through CNOSF intervention could pave the way for Ndiaye’s return to Ligue 1 action on Sunday as Marseille hosts Clermont.
Furthermore, he remains available for the Europa League fixture against Brighton on Thursday, subject to the CNOSF’s decision aligning with OM’s appeal. The ongoing developments surrounding Ndiaye’s suspension draw attention to the nuanced nature of disciplinary decisions in football and their impact on team dynamics.
