Darnell Fisher faces a ban of at least three matches after being charged with violent conduct by the Football Association for grabbing Callum Paterson’s genitalia during Preston’s win over Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday.
Although the charge does not tally exactly with the alleged violation, a double grope of Paterson’s crotch arguably representing inappropriate rather than violent contact, it is the closest of the improper conduct breaches as laid out in rule E3 of the FA’s regulations.
The rule states: ‘A participant shall at all times act in the best interests of the game and shall not act in any manner which is improper or brings the game into disrepute or use any one, or a combination of, violent conduct, serious foul play, threatening, abusive, indecent or insulting words or behaviour.’
In cases of retrospective action, if the charge is admitted, an automatic suspension is imposed to mirror the penalty that would have been applied had the player in question been dismissed during the game.
That would mean a three-match suspension for the 26-year-old, whose antics at a 62nd-minute corner were not witnessed by referee David Webb or his fellow officials.
However, in exceptional cases where the FA adjudges the standard punishment to be ‘clearly insufficient’, the regulatory commission have the power to increase the punishment, meaning Fisher could serve a significantly longer suspension.
As Sportsmail reported, Paterson told his employers at Hillsborough that he did not wish to take the matter further, leaving it in the hands of the football authorities.
Under FA regulations, Fisher has 24 hours to provide a response to the charge. They also state that a hearing should take place before the next match, which would be complicated if he contests the charge as Preston host Blackburn tonight (Tuesday).
The incident evoked memories of the infamous picture showing Vinnie Jones squeezing Paul Gascoigne's testicles during a top-flight fixture between Newcastle and Wimbledon in 1988.
New Wednesday manager Tony Pulis, taking his first game back in charge, said he did not see Fisher's antics but added: 'He'll be up in flames if he's done that.'
Paterson, 26, has not pushed for his employers to take the matter any further, leaving it to the football authorities to determine whether punishment follows.
The incident took place in the same week that the dual code England rugby international Joel Tomkins was handed an eight-match ban for making 'inappropriate contact' with Richie Myler's backside in a Super League contest between Catalans Dragons and Leeds Rhinos. TV footage caught Tomkins putting his finger in Myler's backside.
Earlier this year, England prop Joe Marler was given a 10-week suspension for touching the genitals of Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones in a Six Nations contest - although rugby union's shutdown for the coronavirus pandemic meant he did not miss any action.
After Tom Barkhuizen's volley made Pulis's return to the dugout after 18 months away from the game a miserable one, the former Stoke, Crystal Palace and West Brom manager admitted he has serious problems to sort out in attack both in the short and longer terms.
A team that has scored just six goals in 12 Championship outings will be missing Josh Windass, dismissed for a chest-high lunge on Joe Rafferty just 17 minutes in, for three games from the visit to Swansea on Wednesday while Jack Marriott has returned to parent club Derby because of an injury destined to sideline him until the new year.
Meanwhile, David Kemp, Pulis' long-term number two, will not be part of his Hillsborough backroom staff due to a family illness. Mike Trusson, the ex-Celtic scout, has been named as assistant with Craig Gardner also joining as a coach