NZ football player Sigmund sorry for horror stamp
AFP September 13, 2013, 12:14 pm
WELLINGTON (AFP) - Disgraced New Zealand footballer Ben Sigmund issued a public apology Friday for stamping on the legs of a United Arab Emirates player as he lay prone on the ground.
Sigmund was red-carded after the incident involving Ali Mabkhout in the 89th minute of Monday's 2-0 loss to the UAE in Saudi Arabia and faces possible further disciplinary action from both world governing body FIFA and New Zealand Football.
"I just have to say sorry, it was not acceptable," Sigmund said on his return home.
"My son was watching the telly and that probably hurt me the most for him to say 'where's daddy gone?'"
"It's not a nice situation and I'm not proud of that," he added.
Sigmund said he acted out of frustration and knows he has to accept any further punishment that comes his way.
Former All White Sam Malcolmson said he felt "a bit sick" when he saw the incident.
"If he did that to one of my teammates when I was playing, I'd be livid," he told the New Zealand Herald.
"Can you imagine if he did that in a play-off game against Mexico in front of 100,000 people?"
New Zealand will play home-and-away matches in November against the fourth-placed CONCACAF side, likely to be Mexico or Panama, as they bid to reach next year's World Cup in Brazil.
