Goor will fight five-game FIFA ban
 |  Goor in action against Spain before his sending off for spitting |
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BRUSSELS, Belgium -- Belgium captain Bart Goor plans to appeal against a five game ban imposed on Wednesday after he was sent off for spitting at Spain's Xavi earlier this month.
World soccer's governing body FIFA also fined Goor 10,000 Swiss francs ($8,300) following the incident that came during the 2-0 World Cup Group Seven qualifying defeat on October 9.
Defender Eric Deflandre, who was also shown a red card for abusing referee Kim Milton Nielsen, has been suspended for three matches.
Belgian FA president Jan Peeters said his technical commission would consider whether or not to appeal against the FIFA decision this week.
"This is a very heavy punishment, the hardest we ever had for Belgian internationals," he said. "But the attitude of our players was unacceptable."
Midfielder Goor, who was also fined 10,000 Swiss francs ($8,300), later told VRT radio: "Personally, I will appeal the sanction."
Deflandre must pay a fine of 7,500 francs ($6,200) and Belgian national coach Aime Antheunis said Wednesday: "They haven't had a chance yet to defend themselves yet."
The hefty sanction against Goor highlighted the seriousness with which soccer authorities are treating spitting incidents
Goor immediately showed regret for the incident and denied he was targeting Xavi.
"I didn't spit at somebody, that would be bad," he said on the Web site of his club, Feyenoord Rotterdam.
Belgium already is in a precarious position in European Group 7 with just one point out of its first two games, leaving it in fifth place in the six-nation group.
At 31, Goor has played 59 times for the Red Devils and would only be able to play again for Belgium in September next year.
Italian Francesco Totti received a three-game suspension for a spitting incident during the Euro 2004 tournament.
And UEFA also slapped Swiss striker Alex Frei with a three-match ban for a similar incident during a European championships match.
