The US Open Cup Adjudication and Discipline Panel announced on Thursday that it has suspended Seattle Sounders forward Clint Dempsey a total of six US Open Cup matches or the next two years of US Open Cup competition, whichever is greater. He was also fined an undisclosed amount.
The suspension comes as a result of his actions during the US Open Cup fourth-round match between the Seattle Sounders and Portland Timbers on June 16, 2015, when he ripped up the notebook of referee Daniel Radford, resulting in his red card ejection from the match.
Per the terms of the suspension, Dempsey will not be permitted to play in USOC matches in 2016 and 2017 and possibly future years thereafter, depending on how long it takes for Dempsey's team(s) to reach the six matches stipulated in the suspension.
According to a press release from the US Soccer Federation, Dempsey waived his right to an appeal.
Major League Soccer issued a separate three-game suspension on June 20, which was applicable to league matches. Dempsey sat out Sounders games vs. San Jose (June 20) and Philadelphia (June 24) and will miss this Sunday's match against the Portland Timbers.
The MLS suspension concludes in time for Dempsey to join the US national team for the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup, which begins on July 7.
