Four Vasco da Gama players banned for brawl

Rio de Janeiro, April 19 (IANS) Four Vasco da Gama players have been given a combined 28-match ban for their part in a wild post-match brawl earlier this month.

Eduardo Costa and Rodolfo were each handed eight-game suspensions while Fellipe Bastos and Fagner were banned for six matches each by a Rio sports tribunal.

The brawl occurred after Vasco lost 2-1 to bitter rival Flamengo following a controversial late penalty awarded to Ronaldinho.

Furious Vasco players responded by mobbing referee Wagner dos Santos Rosa, who was secured by armed police to prevent a physical attack.

Vasco said it would appeal the decision so that the players could be available for Sunday's rematch with Flamengo in the Rio Cup semifinals.

In addition to the suspensions, Vasco were fined $50,000 for the behaviour of their fans, who removed plastic seats from the stands and threw them onto Engenhao stadium pitch.

The club's executive director Daniel Freitas was suspended for 30 days while president Roberto Dinamite was warned for inciting crowd violence.