Four Uruguay players banned by FIFA after altercation with referee during Ghana game

When Uruguay was eliminated from the World Cup last month, players Fernando Muslera and Jose Maria Gimenez angrily confronted match officials, earning them four-game suspensions from FIFA.

When Uruguay plays again, seasoned players Edinson Cavani and Diego Godin must also serve one-game suspensions, according to FIFA’s announcement of the disciplinary decisions.

According to FIFA, each player must perform community work on a football-related project and pay fines of up to 20,000 Swiss francs ($21,600).

Despite defeating Ghana 2-0 in its final group-stage match on December 2, chaos broke out when Uruguay lost in Qatar and failed to move to the round of 16.

The Uruguayan Football Federation was also ordered to pay a $54,000 fine and have a portion of its stadium closed for one home game.

The federation “was accountable for the discriminatory behavior of its fans as well as for the misconduct, offensive behavior, and violation of the principles of fair play” by players, according to FIFA’s disciplinary panels.

At Al Janoub Stadium, Uruguay players confronted German referee Daniel Siebert after the final horn.

In extra time, they thought Uruguay ought to be given a penalty kick.

If Uruguay had scored one more goal, South Korea would have advanced to the round of 16, not Uruguay.

Gimenez was playing in his third World Cup, while Cavani, Godin, and Muslera were all competing in their fourths.