Colorado Rapids midfielder Mehdi Ballouchy was suspended two games and fined $1,000 for violent conduct Monday, the result of an altercation during his debut with the team July 22.
Acquired six days earlier in a trade that sent Kyle Beckerman to Real Salt Lake, Ballouchy collided with Kansas City midfielder Sasha Victorine and was given a yellow card, but the MLS Disciplinary Committee decided the incident needed further review.
The committee judged the elbow by Ballouchy to be a deliberate and dangerous act committed away from the ball, and that the referee should have issued him a red card. Ballouchy will serve his suspension in the next two Rapids games — Saturday at FC Dallas and Aug. 11 at home against Houston.
Kansas City coach Curt Onalfo was fined $1,000 and Wizards defender Nick Garcia was fined $250 for public criticism of an official after the Ballouchy incident.
John Meyer can be reached at 303-954-1616 or jmeyer@denverpost.com.
