Southampton manager Tonda Eckert given six-week suspended ban over Spygate scandal

Southampton manager Tonda Eckert has been handed a six-week suspended ban for authorizing spying on Championship rivals' training sessions.

• Eckert has been fined £28,000 by the FA after admitting three counts of misconduct over the spying.
• The FA said the suspended ban would take effect if Eckert is involved in observing another club's training before the end of next season.
• Southampton was expelled from last season's Championship playoffs and handed a four-point deduction this season.
• Southampton said measures had been put in place to ensure such errors in judgment never happen again.
• The FA had sought a three-month ban for Eckert before the committee imposed the suspended six-week ban.
• The committee cited his sincere remorse and the risk that a longer ban would cost him his job as mitigating factors.
• The episode, dubbed 'Spygate', came to light in May when an intern was caught filming Middlesbrough's training session.
• The FA charged Eckert in July, with an independent regulatory commission imposing the sanctions after a hearing.
• The spying covered training sessions at Oxford United and Ipswich Town as well as Middlesbrough.