Australian midfielder Patrick Yazbek’s omission from the latest Socceroos squad was not because of him being sanctioned for violating America’s Major League Soccer anti-discrimination policy.
The former Sydney FC player has been suspended for two matches by MLS for an incident that took place in his club Nashville’s 2-0 loss last weekend to Austin FC.
Yazbek’s first-half comment towards an Austin player led to referee Rosendo Mendoza delaying play for five minutes.
Before play restarted, Yazbek – who was making his MLS debut and just his third appearance in all competition for Nashville after joining them last month from Norwegian outfit Viking in a transfer worth – was substituted.
Yazbek, 22, has been banned from playing in Nashville’s matches against Orlando City on September 1 (AEST) and Atlanta United on September 15, and will be required to complete a “restorative practice program”.
A Football Australia spokesman has confirmed the comment was not a racist slur.
It’s understood Socceroos coach Graham Arnold has spoken to Yazbek since the incident.
However, the FA spokesman said Yazbek’s suspension was not the reason he wasn’t chosen in the Socceroos squad announced on Friday for FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Bahrain (Thursday night, Gold Coast) and Indonesia (September 10, Jakarta).
Yazbek made his Socceroos debut in Australia’s 5-0 win over Lebanon on March 26.
However, he wasn’t selected in the Socceroos squad for June’s matches against Bangladesh and Palestine.