Referees trade union Prospect have issued a statement expressing their anger at the "lenient" ban handed to Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel following the Mark Clattenburg case.
The Blues player was hit with a three-match suspension and a £60,000 fine after he was charged with misconduct due to his actions in the aftermath of Chelsea's 3-2 defeat to Manchester United in October.
Referee Clattenburg was accused by the Premier League club of calling Mikel a "monkey" but was later cleared of any action following an investigation by the Football Association.
"Prospect, the referees trade union, expressed dismay at the lenient punishment handed down by the FA Regulatory Commission to Chelsea player John Obi Mikel," said the statement.
"It is vital that officials were given real respect and this decision regrettably gave entirely the wrong message. A player in parks football found guilty of behaviour like Mikel's would have faced a long-term ban."
Mikel will be absent for Chelsea's matches against Sunderland, Leeds United and Aston Villa.
Danielle Joynson
