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Argentine Tevez escapes sanction after injurying rival player

Xinhua, September 22, 2015 Adjust font size:

The Argentine Football Association (AFA) will not sanction Boca Juniors forward Carlos Tevez for injurying Ezequiel Ham of Argentinos Juniors, local media reported Monday.

Tevez caused a serious open ankle fracture for Ham during an Argentine first divison soccer match on Saturday.

"We cannot officially accuse ex officio. We are not going to sanction Tevez as we do not sanction any other player," said President of AFA's Disciplinary Tribunal Fernando Mitjans in an interview with a local sports daily.

"We equally judge a player from Almirante Brown, Flandria or Boca Juniors. We do not consider the team. But we do not accuse anybody ex officio because this is a very sensitive issue," he added.

Much controversy surrounded the player, also known as "Apache", was not expelled from the match won by Boca 3-1.

Ham, 21, underwent a successful surgery on Saturday and will undergo a second surgery Wednesday. Afterwards, he will begin physical rehabilitation that will last at least six months, said Jose Artese, doctor of Argentinos Juniors.

Tevez said he did not injury his opponent on purpose.

"I went to chase the ball. I did not have bad intentions. I am sad, I did not mean to harm him. This is the first time I injure a player. I will visit him and will apologize," said Tevez at the end of the game.

But Nestor Gorosito, coach of Argentinos Juniors, said "Tevez's intention was to hit him." Endi