Should a push be treat the same as an elbow?

Imagine this scenario

Player A and player B are running for the ball, player A swings his elbow purposely and catches Player B in the face. Player B retaliates and pushes Player A in the chest. Player B gets sent off. Player A doesn't get sent off, but receives a 3 match ban after looking back on it after the game. Player B also gets a 3 match ban.

Is this fair? Is a push in the chest (which player A massively exaggerated and went down holding his face) as bad as throwing an elbow at someone?

This happened in a game on Saturday, I agree both should be banned, but surely a push in retaliation doesn't deserve a 3 match ban if an intentional elbow deserves a 3 match ban.

An elbow shows intention to hurt or even injure a player. While a push is basically just to piss off the other player or to take out frustration (without really hurting him). So no, they shouldn't be the same. Obviously I don't know the exact situation you're referring to, but this is in general.

I told the situation in the OP. I can't find a video of it because it was a Championship game, not televised and the incident was shown on tv.

Hi Glen.

Bushido wrote:Hi Glen.

Hello, Bushido. I find it odd that you would say hello to me in here, as it seems much more logical to do so in the chat thread. When I am chomping at the bit to have a chat with my brother and know that he is in the living room, I do not rush into his bedroom and call out his name.

@OP Shoves should not really be red cards in my opinion, unless they put everything into it, which would be weird. I also think that violent conduct suspension lengths should vary; Adebayor's stamp on van Persie could have done serious permanent damage to van Persie's brain, yet it was rewarded with the same punishment as Gervinho's light tap on Barton. That seems inherently wrong.