China FA Cup holder Shandong Luneng is considering appealing against the bans imposed by the AFC on China international midfielder Zheng Zhi, Bulgarian defender Predrag Pazin and coach Ljubisa Tumbakovic, local media reported.

The AFC announced last Thursday the bans and fines handed out by its disciplinary committee to the players and coach following incidents during Shandong's AFC Champions quarter-final second leg defeat against Al Ittihad of Saudi Arabia in Jeddah on September 21.

Pazin was banned from club and international football for 18 months and given a 4,500-US-dollar fine while Zheng picked up a six month ban and 4,500-dollar fine after verbally abusing and spitting at referee Mohsen Ghahremani of Iran. Tumbakovic was banned from holding any official position at any clubs at the international and domestic level for six months and also fined 4,500 dollars after physically assaulting an assistant referee.

FIFA confirmed on Tuesday that it had extended the sanctions imposed on Pazin and Zheng worldwide, which will prevent them fromplaying in any friendly or official matches at club and international level for the duration of the ban.

However, the China Super League club wants to appeal the sanctions through the China Football Association and is reportedly gathering information on the case.

"We are undertaking the normal process for appeal and we will launch the appeal to AFC once the necessary materials are ready," the club's general manager Dong Gang was quoted as saying by the Jinan-based Qilu Evening News.

While Shandong is preparing for a crucial showdown against China Super League champion Dalian Shide in the China FA Cup final on Sunday, the trio in question will not be available for service.

Victory for current cup holder Shandong in the FA Cup final would give it a spot in next season's AFC Champions League, but defeat would send China Super League runners-up Shanghai Shenhua into the continental competition along with Dalian.

(Xinhua News Agency November 16, 2005)