LONDON — Wigan's Callum McManaman will escape disciplinary action over his tackle on Newcastle full-back Massadio Haidara during a Premier League match Sunday, the Football Association announced Tuesday. McManaman, who was making his first league start, caught Haidara on the knee with his studs after careering into a tackle midway through the first half at the DW Stadium. The French full-back, 20, had to be carried off on a stretcher, but referee Mark Halsey did not punish 21-year-old McManaman for the challenge. An FA statement said that as match officials had seen the incident, the governing body was powerless to take retrospective disciplinary action having agreed such a policy with league officials, managers' representatives and referees' chiefs in pre-season. “Where one of the officials has seen a coming together of players, no retrospective action should be taken, regardless of whether he or she witnessed the full or particular nature of the challenge,” the FA said in a statement. “This is to avoid the re-refereeing of incidents, “In the case of McManaman, it has been confirmed that at least one of the match officials saw the coming together, though not the full extent of the challenge. In these circumstances retrospective action cannot be taken. “The principal objective behind the not seen policy is to address off the ball incidents where match officials are unlikely to be in a position to witness misconduct.” Wigan chairman Dave Whelan defended McManaman's conduct Monday, telling the BBC: “The ball was there and McManaman got the ball as clear as a whistle, then followed through and they collided. “The referee was 15 yards from the tackle. I don't think his view was blocked. He had a clear view. I had a clear view in the stands. “He hasn't gone over the ball. That's an accident. There is not one ounce of malice in (him). “He is an enthusiastic young boy. He has got great prospects. He was very upset by it all.” Whelan speaks from experience, as he had his leg broken in the 1960 FA Cup final while playing for Blackburn Rovers. The injury curtailed his playing career, but the Latics chairman said it was no use blaming the perpetrator of the tackle in which he hurt himself. “When I broke my leg in the Cup final, it was exactly the same type of tackle,” he added. “We both went for the ball. It brought back memories. It ruined my career. I am not going to criticize Norman Deeley. “These things happen in football. He came over the ball but he didn't do it with the aim of breaking my leg.” Haidara suffered potential knee ligament damage in the incident, which sparked a half-time row on the touchline that saw Newcastle assistant manager John Carver and Wigan coach Graham Barrow sent to the stands. Wigan won the match 2-1. — Agenciest
