New England Revolution and United States international midfielder Jermaine Jones has been suspended for six matches by MLS for making contact with the referee during an October play-off game.
Jones went after referee Mark Geiger in the 92nd minute of the Revolution's 2-1 loss to DC United in the MLS Cup play-offs on October 28.
The 34-year-old was protesting an apparent handball in the box that went uncalled and made contact with Geiger.
Jones will miss the first six regular-season MLS games next year and is ineligible to play in any other competition during the ban, while he has also been fined an undisclosed amount.
The penalty already has been appealed by the MLS Players' Union, but Commissioner Don Garber upheld the suspension.
Perhaps US football's most prominent referee, Geiger was selected to officiate at the 2014 World Cup but came under fire for his work in Mexico's controversial win over Panama at the Gold Cup this year.
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