Five-game ban for barging linesman
 |  Mikoliunas claims that barging a linesman was not intentional |
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GLASGOW, Scotland (Reuters) -- Hearts player Saulius Mikoliunas has been banned for five matches for barging a linesman at the end of this month's Scottish Premier League defeat by Rangers.
The Lithuanian was shown two red cards, one for barging linesman Andy Davis and the other for foul and abusive language, earning him an initial three-match ban.
On Tuesday the Scottish FA's disciplinary committee imposed a further five-match suspension on Mikoliunas ruling him out of the Cup semifinal against Celtic.
Speaking through interpreter and Hearts' acting chief executive Sergejus Fedotovas at Hampden following the sentencing Mikoliunas, who had never been sent off before, repeatedly apologized to the committee.
"I apologize very much before the supporters of Hearts that I will be forced to miss a lot of games," he said.
The ban is more lenient than that given to Southampton midfielder David Prutton who received a 10-game suspension for shoving a referee after being sent off during an English Premier League match against Arsenal in February.
However Mikoliunas insists his crime was less serious.
"I think my case is different from that because it was not intentional," he said. "I did it under pressure and emotions and didn't want to make that contact."
He barged Davis in the final minute of the match on March 2 when the linesman flagged for a penalty for Rangers which Fernando Ricksen converted for a 2-1 win.
