Drogba charged in coin-throwing incident

The Chelsea striker Didier Drogba has been charged with violent conduct by the FA for throwing a coin back into the crowd during a League Cup game.

Didier Drogba, right, throws a coin back into the crowd during Chelsea's League Cup game against Burnley.

LONDON // The Chelsea striker Didier Drogba has been charged with violent conduct by the Football Association (FA) for throwing a coin back into the crowd during a League Cup game against Burnley on Wednesday. TV replays showed Drogba, who had just scored, pick up a coin, which had apparently been thrown by a Burnley fan in his direction, and hurl it back into the crowd during Wednesday's match, which the Blues later lost to the Championship side on penalties.

The FA said the referee Keith Stroud gave Drogba a yellow card for going toward the Burnley supporters to celebrate but had not seen the missile incident. The FA said it had written to both clubs to request information on missiles thrown at Chelsea players from the Burnley section. "Players should be able to play football without fearing for their personal safety. It is totally unacceptable for players to be put in danger by supporters throwing missiles onto the pitch," an FA spokesman said. "The FA wants anyone found guilty of throwing missiles to face the strongest possible action. That includes life bans from attending football matches." The Ivory Coast striker has until today to respond to the charge and a disciplinary committee will decide on the case Monday. If found guilty, Drogba could be fined or banned for up to three games. Liverpool's Jamie Carragher served a three-match ban for a similar incident at Arsenal in 2002. *Agencies