Ludmila and Rosemonde Kouassi to Suspend NWSL Playoffs

In less than two weeks National Women’s Soccer League playoffs will start. When you do this you will be missing two stars.

On Monday, the NWSL Disciplinary Committee announced that it issued a three-game suspension to Chicago Red Stars forward Ludmila and a two-game suspension to Washington Spirit forward Rosemonde Kouassi.

The decision was taken after the incident occurred in the 69th minute of the match played between the two teams on October 20. Both Ludmila and Kouassi received red cards.

These red cards resulted in an automatic one-match suspension. However, upon further review of the incident, the Disciplinary Committee found that both players’ conduct violated Section 12.4.10, “Significant Game Misconduct” of the NWSL Operations Manual.

Therefore, Ludmila was suspended for an additional two matches (three in total) and Kouassi was suspended for an additional match (two in total) for their respective conduct.

Both the Red Stars and the Spirit qualified for the competition. NWSL play-offsThis means both players will serve at least some of the postseason suspension.

Ludmila will serve her three-game suspension in Chicago’s final regular season game against Kansas City on Sunday, Nov. 3, and in the club’s quarterfinal game the weekend of Nov. 8-10.

If Chicago fails to advance to the semifinal round of the 2024 NWSL playoffs, Ludmila will serve her final suspension in the first Red Stars game of the 2025 NWSL regular season.

Kouassi will serve his two-game suspension in the Spirit’s final regular season game against North Carolina on Saturday, Nov. 2, and in the team’s quarterfinal game on Nov. 10.

Both disciplinary decisions were appealed by the players and upheld by the NWSL Review Committee.

The Organization of Professional Referees published the VAR review of the incident last week. In the video, you hear the referees call for a review of the play after an offense was highlighted, which included a visible “hit” and hair pulling. Hair hitting and pulling falls under “violent conduct” in the referee handbook.