RIO DE JANEIRO, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Four Vasco da Gama players have been given a combined 28-match ban for their part in a wild post-match brawl earlier this month.
Eduardo Costa and Rodolfo were each handed eight-game suspensions while Fellipe Bastos and Fagner were banned for six matches apiece by a Rio sports tribunal on Wednesday.
The brawl occurred after Vasco lost 2-1 to bitter rival Flamengo following a controversial late penalty awarded to Ronaldinho.
Furious Vasco players responded by mobbing referee Wagner dos Santos Rosa, who needed protection from armed police to prevent a physical attack.
Vasco last night said it would appeal the decision, meaning the players could be available for Sunday's rematch with Flamengo in the Rio Cup semifinals.
"In our opinion the penalties were harsh. We are going to appeal tomorrow because it's the only chance the players have to play the semifinal," club lawyer Luciana Lopes said.
In addition to the suspensions, Vasco was fined 50,000 dollars for the behavior of its fans, who removed plastic seats from the stands and threw them onto Engenhao stadium pitch.
The club's executive director Daniel Freitas was suspended for 30 days while president Roberto Dinamite was sanctioned with a warning for inciting crowd violence.