U.S. Soccer Captain Clint Dempsey Gets a Two-Year Open Cup Ban for Ripping Up a Referee’s Notebook

Clint Dempsey, the captain of the U.S. soccer team, has been given a two-year or a six-game ban from the U.S. Open Cup — whichever is longer. The disciplinary move comes after he knocked a notebook from a referee’s hand and then tore it up during a June 16 game between his club side, the Seattle Sounders, and the Portland Timbers.

The U.S. Open Cup Adjudication and Discipline Panel announced Thursday that he would also be fined.

Dempsey had already been punished with a three-match suspension on June 19, according to the New York Times. He has sat out on two games already.

During the June 16 game, Dempsey knocked the notebook out of referee Daniel Radford’s hand toward the end of the match in objection to a call. According to CBS Sports, Radford red-carded Dempsey but then noticed that the U.S. captain was already walking off the field.

[CBS Sports]