Beware: Scrotum Biters Scrotum biter banned By ANDREW RAMSEY 02may02 FORMER Sydney onballer Peter Filandia was last night banned for 10 weeks but warned it would take considerably longer for him to shake the stigma of being a self-confessed scrotum biter. Filandia, whose 83-game AFL career ended with a suspension for striking in 2000, pleaded guilty under mitigating circumstances and has vowed to continue as non-playing captain and assistant coach of VFL club Port Melbourne. But the 31-year-old will carry the shame of one of the most bizarre cases brought before a senior tribunal after admitting he bit Springvale (and St Kilda reserves) player Chad Davis on the scrotum. The case has been described as the most distasteful sporting incident since Wests Tigers rugby league winger John Hopoate was outed for "bottom poking" last year. Davis suffered a puncture wound, bleeding and deep bruising to his scrotum and was prescribed a course of antibiotics. He has been ordered to undergo a blood test to screen for communicable diseases. Filandia was deeply remorseful last night and claimed his action was caused by panic due to restrictions on his breathing and a pre-existing facial injury. After the one-hour hearing, VFL tribunal chairman Eddie Power ordered Filandia to have counselling before returning to the playing field. "Your action has done untold damage to the game," Power said. "(The penalty) means you can play again this year but it's something that's going to take a long time for you to live down." Davis, the son of St Kilda premiership player Allan Davis, testified Filandia bit him as the pair lay on the ground following a tackle during last weekend's match at Port Melbourne. He retaliated by twice pushing Filandia to the ground and then told a field umpire "he bit me on the f. . . in' nuts". Davis, who has played 22 senior matches for St Kilda, said he immediately felt pain in his scrotum but completed the game. After the match he reported the incident to club doctor Rohan White, who noticed a blood stain the size of a 50 piece in Davis's underpants. "He had a 2cm area which was well circumscribed, a small puncture mark at the top (of the scrotum) which showed some bleeding and some fairly deep bruising on the right side of the scrotum," White told the tribunal. Davis admitted he had squeezed his legs together to apply pressure to Filandia who was positioned between his thighs after they fell to the ground but denied suggestions he had the former Swans player in a "scissor hold". Filandia said he had aimed the bite at the fabric of his opponent's shorts rather than the flesh of his leg. Filandia, who at times fought back tears during the hearing, offered a personal apology to Davis and read a short statement to media representatives outside the tribunal room. "The incident was in no way premeditated or malicious; it was a split-second decision I made in a state of panic," Filandia said. The AFL tribunal handed Melbourne midfielder Stephen Powell a two-match suspension last night after finding him guilty of striking Western Bulldog Tony Liberatore. Richmond youngster Mark Coughlan was cleared of engaging in rough play. The Australian -------------------------------- I can't believe he only got a 10 game suspension. I thought he would have got at least a year, if not more.
