A soccer player has received an eight-match suspension and a fine of £15,000 (approximately $20,000) following an incident where he bit an opponent during a contentious match between Preston and Blackburn in England's second tier.

Milutin Osmajic of Preston acknowledged his violent conduct after biting Blackburn defender Owen Beck late in the match on September 22.

Despite Beck indicating to referee Matt Donohue that he had been bitten, Osmajic was not shown a red card for the incident.

The English Football Association announced on Friday that the punishment was a result of misconduct.

Blackburn's manager, John Eustace, noted that Beck was visibly shaken after the encounter with Osmajic, who appeared to bite the back of Beck's neck.

Blackburn Rovers’ Owen Beck is confronted by Preston North End’s Milutin Osmajic before being shown a red card, during an English Football League soccer match, at Deepdale, in Preston, England, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. (Nick Potts/PA via AP)


The match, a local rivalry in northern England, was marked by tension, resulting in one player from each side being sent off during the scoreless draw. Beck received a red card for kicking Preston's Duane Holmes, and it was in the aftermath of this incident that the biting occurred.

Preston has stated that they will refrain from commenting on the decision until the written rationale for the punishment is released.

Preston manager Paul Heckingbottom remarked at the time, "There’s no place for biting. Mistimed tackles and similar incidents are part of the game, but anything beyond that must be addressed."

Osmajic will be unavailable for selection until his team's match against Derby on November 23.

In a similar context, former Liverpool and Barcelona forward Luis Suarez faced a 10-match ban in 2013 for biting Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic, followed by a four-month suspension for biting Italy's Giorgio Chiellini during the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.