Manager of Crystal Palace F.C., Oliver Glasner, has been banned from driving for six months after violating a 20 miles-per-hour speed limit in London.
Naija News reports that the 51-year-old Austrian coach was sanctioned by a magistrate’s court after pleading guilty to speeding at 29 mph in a restricted zone in the Bermondsey area of south London.
Court documents revealed that Glasner was captured by a speed camera while driving his BMW along Old Kent Road in Bermondsey in July last year.
The road has a strict 20 mph speed limit as part of wider traffic safety measures across London.
Records also indicated that the football manager had previous driving offences on his record, making him liable for an automatic driving ban under British traffic laws.
Glasner subsequently wrote to Willesden Magistrates’ Court in northwest London, where he formally pleaded guilty to the speeding offence.
In his written plea, Glasner acknowledged his wrongdoing and apologised for breaching the law, assuring the court that he had taken steps to prevent a recurrence.
“I fully accept responsibility for my actions and understand the seriousness of this matter,” he said.
“I have taken steps to ensure it will not happen again.
“Due to the nature of my role, I will ensure I take the steps to address the issue.”
Rather than challenge the punishment, the Crystal Palace manager reportedly chose not to argue against disqualification and instead submitted a handwritten note promising to comply with the law going forward.
A magistrate, sitting in private last Tuesday, imposed a six-month driving ban on Glasner.
In addition to the suspension of his licence, he was ordered to pay a £660 fine, £130 in court costs, and a £264 victim surcharge.
Glasner had pleaded guilty in writing on January 27 and later accepted that a ban would be imposed without the need for a public court hearing in a second letter sent to the court on February 16.
Details of the case only became public after the United Kingdom’s Press Association news agency gained access to the court documents earlier this week.
Glasner enjoyed a historic moment with Crystal Palace in May when he guided the south London club to their first major trophy after winning the FA Cup during his first full season in charge.
However, the club’s fortunes have fluctuated since then. Palace suffered a shock exit from this season’s FA Cup after losing to non-league side Macclesfield in the third round in January.
Shortly after the defeat, Glasner announced he would leave the club when his contract expires at the end of the season.
The decision was widely seen as a protest against the club’s transfer policy, which saw several key players leave Selhurst Park.
Glasner reportedly complained that the remaining squad members had been “abandoned completely” by the club’s hierarchy.
Crystal Palace are scheduled to face London rivals Tottenham Hotspur F.C. later on Thursday in a crucial Premier League encounter.
The match could prove decisive in the relegation battle, with Tottenham currently sitting just one point above the bottom three while Palace are also yet to fully escape the drop zone.
