FA hearing revealed: Three Wolves players say Jonjo Shelvey called Romain Saiss an Arab

Shelvey has decided not to appeal a five-game ban and a £100,000 fine after the FA found him guilty of racially abusing Saiss during Wolves' 2-0 win at St James' Park in September.

The Newcastle player will be free of suspension when Wolves host the Magpies at Molineux on February 11.

The FA has now released its minutes of the hearing, which recently took place in Birmingham.

The incident was sparked when Newcastle player Vernon Anita tackled Ivan Cavaleiro in the 87th minute. Saiss waved an imaginary red card (Anita was indeed sent off) and a melee followed in which players from both teams were alleged to have traded insults.

An 11-page report of the hearing states: "It is alleged that shortly after the red card was awarded Shelvey called Saiss an "Arab" or "Arabic" "****" and/or "p***k."

It was attended by Saiss, Iorfa, Doherty, Borthwick-Jackson, captain Danny Batth, coach Rob Edwards, former team general manager Andrea Butti and club doctor Matthew Perry.

A summary of the hearing is as follows.

Wolves evidence

• Iorfa gave evidence that Shelvey was aware of Saiss’s gesture for a red card to be shown after the tackle. His account began with Shelvey asking “Why are you asking for a card, you’re winning.” Shelvey denies this. Iorfa’s account in his statement went on to say that when Shelvey was standing close to him he said “you Arab p***k” and “you Arab ****.” It was when Doherty approached him to ask “did he say that?” that Iorfa became absolutely or 100 per cent sure of what he had heard. Both he and Doherty then reported the matter immediately after the conclusion of the match. Iorfa was adamant that Shelvey used the word Arab.

• Doherty and Borthwick-Jackson were also cross-examined in respect of their written statements and the statements recorded by others. It was put to both players, as it was to Iorfa, that their accounts were not consistent with each other as to what was heard nor consistent with notes that had been taken by third parties at the time. Doherty maintained in his oral evidence that he heard Shelvey say “Moroccan p***k” and “Arabic ****” although he conceded those words could have been in a different order. He said he was “1000 per cent” certain of this. Borthwick-Jackson gave evidence that he heard Shelvey call Saiss a “smelly Arab ****” and said he was “100 per cent” sure of what he heard.

• After the match Iorfa and Doherty immediately informed Rob Edwards, the WWFC first team coach, of what was said and he relayed this to the referee. This was then relayed by the referee to Rafa Benitez who after speaking with Shelvey reported back that he disputed this assertion and asserted that the words he used were “smelly breathed p***k” in response to Mr Saiss calling him a “bald ****.”

• Saiss himself gave evidence. He was not able to take matters much further. He denied ever swearing at Shelvey at any time. It was clear from his evidence that his command of English even now is quite basic.

Newcastle evidence

• Shelvey gave evidence that he lost his temper when he heard someone call him a “bald ****.” He then responded to Saiss, whom he suspected of saying it because he was walking away, not with reference to being Arab or Moroccan but solely with a personal insult of being a “smelly breathed p***k.” This he said two or three times as he considered Saiss did not hear him but he used the same words each time. He insisted that he did not know of Mr Saiss’s use of the imaginary card gesture. Shelvey accepted that at the point in the video footage where he says he was insulted he did not react immediately. It was put to him that it was only when he had a subsequent conversation with Gayle that he turned to go back in the direction of Mr Saiss who was walking away. It was put to him that he had been told by Gayle at this point of the card gesture by Saiss and that he then became angry or more angry and used the words which are the subject of the charge before being pushed back by Gayle. Shelvey denied that he knew Saiss was of Moroccan or Arab extraction.

• (Dwight) Gayle gave oral evidence and said that he heard someone shouting “bald ****” at Shelvey although he cannot be sure who said it. He also said he heard Shelvey say only once, “smelly breathed p***k.”

FA conclusion

• There are differences in the accounts given by the witnesses on each side. However it must be borne in mind that the incident occurred during a match where there was a large crowd and a significant amount of noise We find that it is more likely than not, given how annoyed he was, that Gayle told Shelvey of Saiss’s gesture after which Shelvey began to walk back in the direction of Saiss to express his views on the matter. The main witnesses were entirely consistent in respect of what was the central issue in the case, namely whether the word Arab or Arabic was used by Shelvey during the course of what was, on any view, an ill-tempered outburst of offensive language by him towards Saiss which the latter clearly did not hear. The Commission is satisfied that the evidence of the three main witnesses from WWFC is clearly to be preferred. Their evidence was given with conviction and openness."