Luis Felipe Scolari interpreter banned for five years in Saudi row

The interpreter of former Brazil and Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari has been banned from soccer for five years after clashing with a Saudi security guard at an Asian Champions League match last month.

Scolari is now coach of Uzbekistan side Bunyodkor and Marcelo Santos, who was also fined $20,000, was acting as his interpreter during the 1-1 draw with Saudi club Al Ittihad in Jeddah on April 14.

Santos was punished for "violating Article 70 of the AFC Champions League 2010 Regulations", which deals with violence by players and/or officials, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) said on its website (www.the-afc.com).

Portuguese media reported that Santos had attacked a pitch-side security guard after being racially insulted and was subsequently detained in the Saudi city.

The Saudi Gazette match report said "an angry Uzbek official" had tried to "kick the referee in the leg" and a security guard had protected the match official.

The wealthy Uzbek club, who have former Brazil striker Rivaldo on their books, were also fined $2,000 for having "unauthorised officials on the substitutes bench" and Scolari''s failure to attend the post-match press conference.