Soccer-FIFA consider greater punishment for Birmingham's Taylor

By Mike Collett

GLENEAGLES, Scotland, March 9 (Reuters) - FIFA could impose further sanctions on Birmingham City defender Martin Taylor following his tackle on Eduardo da Silva which broke the Arsenal striker's leg and dislocated his ankle.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter told reporters the tackle "had nothing to do with football" and said that FIFA would be asking the Premier League for its file on the case with the likelihood that FIFA would impose its own, greater punishment on the player.

Taylor was banned for three matches for the tackle at St Andrew's on Feb. 23 which left the Croatian with two broken bones in his leg and a dislocated ankle. He is not expected to play again for at least nine months and will miss the European championships.

Blatter, speaking at the conclusion of the International Football Association Board meeting (IFAB) on Saturday, said: "We are considering a number of options but one we could consider is if a player is out injured for nine months, then the player who has caused him that injury also cannot play again until his victim has recovered.

"If he is out for three months, then the perpetrator cannot play for three months. We shall see. We want players guilty of violent tackling banned from the game, and if that means a life ban, then so be it.

"We do not want to see players demolishing each other on the field -- destroying each other. We will discuss this at the next congress (in Sydney in May) and we must do something about it.

"You do not see dentists trying to destroy each other, or painters trying to destroy painters, even if they are in competition with each other. We do not want to see it in football either."

Blatter said FIFA would ask the Premier League through the English FA for its file which would be considered by FIFA's disciplinary committee.