RIO DE JANEIRO: Rodrigo Paiva, communications director of the Brazilian football confederations, has become the hosts’ latest absentee from Tuesday’s World Cup semi-final against Germany writes KEIR RADNEDGE.

Paiva has been suspended from the rest of the World Cup after the tunnel dust-up against Chile. This means that he is barred from all ‘official areas’ in World Cup stadia, including press conferences, on match days.

The long-time press officer to coach Luiz Felipe Scolari was shown a red card by English referee Howard Webb after a half-time incident during last Saturday’s dramatic second round victory over Chile.

He had clashed with Chilean substitute Mauricio Pinilla during a heated discussion between players and staff of both teams on their way into the tunnel. Paiva said later: “I defended myself when he came near me. I reacted by shoving him.”

After the match Scolari complained about the pressure exerted by the Chilean bench obn the German fourth referee, Felix Brych.

Scolari said: “The atmosphere on our bench was very tense because the opposition were complaining so much to the fourth official. It was like war. They were almost coming into our area.”

FIFA said that Paiva had been suspended for four matches with one suspended for two years and fined 10,000 Swiss francs.

Paiva has already served a one-match match absence during Brazil’s quarter-final victory over Colombia in Fortaleza. Hence the other two ‘live’ games comprise Tuesday’s semi-final against Germany in Belo Horizonte plus the final or third place play-off.

Brazil will be missing, on the pitch, injured forward Neymar and suspended central defender and captain Thiago Silva.

FIFA disciplinary statement

The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has reached a decision in the case related to the official Rodrigo Santos Paiva, media officer of the Brazil national team, following an incident that occurred during half-time of the FIFA World Cup™ match between Brazil and Chile played on 28 June 2014.

The FIFA Disciplinary Committee came to the conclusion that Rodrigo Santos Paiva breached art. 48 par. 1 d) of the FIFA Disciplinary Code (FDC) and have decided to suspend him for four matches – three of which Rodrigo Santos Paiva will definitely have to serve and the fourth subject to certain conditions.

The suspensions are applied as follows: the automatic one-match suspension was already served on 4 July; the next two match suspensions shall be served in Brazil’s remaining two FIFA World Cup™ matches (the semi-final Brazil vs. Germany on 8 July followed by the final or the third-place match); the fourth match suspension would only be applied if Rodrigo Santos Paiva were to commit another infringement during the two-year probationary period that he must now serve (cf. art. 33 of the FDC).

If the fourth match suspension were to be applied, it would be in addition to any sanction pronounced with the new infringement committed during the probationary period.

The Disciplinary Committee also imposed a fine of CHF 10,000 in accordance with art. 48 par. 2 of the FDC.

The decision was notified to the official and the Brazil Football Association (CBF) today and comes into force as soon it is communicated.

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