Cardiff City defender Krystian Bielik claimed his family received death threats during the controversy that followed his altercation with a Portsmouth supporter, the full written reasons for his disciplinary verdict have revealed.
The 28-year-old Poland international was banned for two games and fined £10,000 over the incident at Fratton Park last month. Bielik admitted a misconduct charge after he was deemed to have grabbed the young fan by the shoulder as he went to retrieve the ball for a throw-in during the second half of Cardiff’s 2-1 Championship defeat.
The death threat claim formed part of Bielik’s plea for mitigation. The independent regulatory commission that heard the case last week described the assertion as “regrettable and to be deplored”, but said it did not affect the sanction, particularly as no supporting evidence had been provided.
Before he was charged by the Football Association, Bielik sent a written apology to the fan. A separate Hampshire Police investigation into the flashpoint concluded that no further action was needed, with the defender instead issued a Community Resolution Order.
In his own statement, Bielik said he had expected the ball to be handed to him by the fan and that he “placed my hand on his shoulder and pushed away as I moved back”, adding that his actions were caused partly by frustration and partly by momentum. The FA disputed that account, arguing the proximity of the contact to the neck risked inflaming the crowd. The commission agreed, adding that the incident “clearly created the potential for a mass confrontation and could have led to a dangerous situation”.
Bielik also expressed regret and argued that he had not retaliated despite being struck in the face during the exchange. The commission called that commendable but said it “could not lessen his culpability for his initial action”, though other mitigating factors were accepted in reducing the ban from a three-game starting point. Cardiff manager Brian Barry-Murphy had offered his support, describing the 11-time Poland international as a “consummate professional”.