Suspended sentence for Romanian hooligan

BUCHAREST - A Romanian court has handed a three-year suspended jail sentence to a Petrolul Ploiesti fan who invaded the pitch during a league game against Steaua Bucharest and punched a player to spark a mass brawl.

The court said on Friday that Dragos Enache would pay compensation of 50,000 Romanian lei ($15,155) to former Steaua defender George Galamaz who fractured his cheekbone in the incident.

"I talked to my lawyer and we respect the court's decision," Galamaz told reporters.

"I will donate the 50,000 lei to an orphanage," added the defender who joined Universitatea Cluj in December.

Flamboyant Steaua owner Gigi Becali, a European Member of Parliament, reacted angrily to the court's decision.

"A three-year suspended sentence? That's wrong," said Becali. "Give him a three-week sentence but in jail."

The Romanian Football Federation awarded Steaua a 3-0 win in the match that was delayed for almost half an hour on Oct. 30 and then abandoned just before halftime following the incidents.

Petrolul were also ordered to play six home games behind closed doors.

The Romanian league is in the middle of a winter break and bad weather is threatening the scheduled resumption on Feb. 25.

Steaua are seventh in the 18-team competition while Petrolul are 13th.