Cardiff defender Krystian Bielik has revealed that his family received death threats following his altercation with a Portsmouth fan, according to written reasons published after his disciplinary hearing. The claim was made as part of his plea for mitigation. The independent regulatory commission described it as "regrettable and to be deplored", but said it did not affect the sanction "particularly as no supporting evidence had been provided".
A Hampshire Police investigation into the flashpoint concluded that no further action was needed, and Bielik was issued a Community Resolution Order. He also sent a written apology to the fan before the Football Association charged him. Cardiff boss Brian Barry-Murphy backed the player, describing the 11-time Poland international as a "consummate professional".
In his own statement, Bielik said he expected the fan to hand him the ball and claimed he placed his hand on the fan's shoulder and pushed away as he moved back, with his actions partly caused by frustration and momentum. The FA disputed this, arguing that the contact near the neck risked inflaming the crowd. The commission agreed, saying the incident "clearly created the potential for a mass confrontation and could have led to a dangerous situation".
Bielik expressed regret and said he did not retaliate despite being struck in the face. The commission called this commendable but said it "could not lessen his culpability for his initial action". It did, however, accept other mitigating factors and reduced the ban from the three-game starting point.
Source: BBC Sport · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing