A few months back, there was the Australian soccer player suspended for trying to jam his finger up an opposing player's butt, now this.

Soccer player in genital-biting scandal

Alex Duff Bloomberg News Nov. 29, 2001 10:55:00

SEVILLE, Spain - Spanish soccer team Sevilla expressed support for its midfielder Francisco Gallardo, who may be punished for biting a teammate's genitals while celebrating a goal.

Gallardo, 21, was filmed with his head between the legs of Jose Antonio Reyes, who had just netted in Sunday's 4-0 home win over Real Valladolid. Spain's soccer federation is investigating whether he broke rules concerning "sporting decorum."

"We want to show our unreserved support for Gallardo and his family in these very difficult times for them," the team said in a statement. "We want to make public our astonishment about the possibility of a sanction."

Gallardo, an under-21 international, has until Tuesday to submit written evidence about the incident which prompted uproar in the Spanish media, with sports daily Marca calling the act "scandalous." Gallardo said it had been a joke.

“It was something between friends that I thought would have no importance until this morning when I got up and saw all the commotion in the news,” Gallardo told a news conference. “It stunned me.”

Reyes told Marca that he had “felt a slight pinch.”

The federation may suspend the midfielder, who has played 29 times for Sevilla. The southern Spain team is 10th in the Primera Liga.

-- Anonymous, November 30, 2001

Answers

Good heavens! Well, what do you expect from people who let bulls chase them?

-- Anonymous, November 30, 2001

I suppose if it is still "up", then there isn't much of a problem?

-- Anonymous, November 30, 2001

What I thought was hilarious was that they got the Australian soccer player to be a spokesman for prostate examination.

-- Anonymous, November 30, 2001

If they follow that reasoning, then Gallardo will be doing commercials for 'taking a bite out of sex crimes?'

-- Anonymous, November 30, 2001