Troubled Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho failed in his appeal against a suspended stadium ban on Thursday.
Mourinho was given the suspended ban, along with a £50,000 ($76,000) fine, for his critical comments about referee Robert Madley after Chelsea’s defeat at home to Southampton on October 3.
The 52-year-old was angry that his side were not awarded a penalty early in the second half, with the game all square, when striker Radamel Falcao went down under Saints goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg’s challenge and was booked for diving.
Southampton went on to win 3-1 and, speaking in a post-match television interview, Mourinho said: “The referees are afraid to give decisions for Chelsea.
“I want to make it clear again, referees are afraid to give decisions. When you are top, you want to see people down. When we are down, give us a break.”
The FA refused to accept Mourinho had a case for the punishment to be overturned and Thursday’s statement read: “An Appeal Board has dismissed the appeal from Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho in relation to a decision made by an Independent Regulatory Commission.
“The Appeal Board has upheld the original sanction and therefore it remains that Mr Mourinho’s suspended stadium ban will be immediately invoked should he be found by an Independent Regulatory Commission to have committed a further breach of FA Rule E3 for any comment or statement to or through the media before 13 October 2016.”
The FA said that Mourinho’s ban would be immediately invoked should he be found guilty before 13 October 2016 of another breach of its rules relating to comments made to or through the media.
Mourinho is also appealing against a one-match stadium ban for speaking to referee Jon Moss at half-time in the recent defeat by West Ham, a punishment which means he won’t be allowed in the Britannia Stadium when Chelsea face Stoke in the Premier League on Saturday.
Chelsea secured a crucial 2-1 win over Dynamo Kiev on Wednesday to keep alive their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League last 16, but they are struggling at the wrong end of the Premier League after a miserable run.