Arsenal will have defender Kieran Gibbs and midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain available against Swansea on Tuesday after appeals to the English Football Association.
Full-back Gibbs was shown a red card in a case of mistaken identity by referee Andre Marriner during the first half of Saturday's 6-0 loss at Chelsea, instead of Oxlade-Chamberlain, who handled the ball in the six-yard box and admitted his guilt at the time but was waved away.
The FA confirmed on Monday night the sanction against Gibbs had been removed and transferred onto Oxlade-Chamberlain. Arsenal then subsequently moved to have that offence downgraded on appeal, claiming the England midfielder had not technically prevented a clear goalscoring opportunity as the shot from Chelsea's Eden Hazard looked to be going wide.
That was also upheld, leaving Gibbs and Oxlade-Chamberlain free to face Swansea.
A statement from the FA read: “An Independent Regulatory Commission today heard two claims from Arsenal, one of mistaken identity and the other of wrongful dismissal, both in relation to Saturday’s game against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
“The commission ruled that the dismissal of Kieran Gibbs was a case of mistaken identity and transferred this to his teammate Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
“Subsequent to deciding this matter, the commission then considered Arsenal’s claim for wrongful dismissal in relation to Oxlade-Chamberlain. This claim was upheld, meaning Oxlade-Chamberlain will not serve any suspension with the standard punishment withdrawn with immediate effect.”
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If you go
Flight connections to Ulaanbaatar are available through a variety of hubs, including Seoul and Beijing, with airlines including Mongolian Airlines and Korean Air. While some nationalities, such as Americans, don’t need a tourist visa for Mongolia, others, including UAE citizens, can obtain a visa on arrival, while others including UK citizens, need to obtain a visa in advance. Contact the Mongolian Embassy in the UAE for more information.
Nomadic Road offers expedition-style trips to Mongolia in January and August, and other destinations during most other months. Its nine-day August 2020 Mongolia trip will cost from $5,250 per person based on two sharing, including airport transfers, two nights’ hotel accommodation in Ulaanbaatar, vehicle rental, fuel, third party vehicle liability insurance, the services of a guide and support team, accommodation, food and entrance fees; nomadicroad.com
A fully guided three-day, two-night itinerary at Three Camel Lodge costs from $2,420 per person based on two sharing, including airport transfers, accommodation, meals and excursions including the Yol Valley and Flaming Cliffs. A return internal flight from Ulaanbaatar to Dalanzadgad costs $300 per person and the flight takes 90 minutes each way; threecamellodge.com
A State of Passion
Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi
Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah
Rating: 4/5
Essentials
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct from the UAE to Geneva from Dh2,845 return, including taxes. The flight takes 6 hours.
The package
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo
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Torque: 390Nm at 3,000rpm
Transmission: eight-speed auto
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UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
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Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
THE SPECS
Touareg Highline
Engine: 3.0-litre, V6
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Power: 340hp
Torque: 450Nm
Price: Dh239,312
