Ukrainian footballer suspended for using phone during game

Shane Warne is arguably the most famous phone addict in sport, or so we thought until we saw what Ukrainian footballer Volodymyr Kozlenko got up while playing for third-tier side Energiya Nova Kakhova against Premier League outfit Olimpik Donetsk during a tournament near Kiev.

Volodymyr Kozlenko checks out his phone (YouTube)

Kozlenko, clearly a multi-tasking genius, hid the phone in his shorts and while on the pitch, "got it out from time to time, called someone and conversed," Olimpik said in a statement which branded his actions "anti-football" and "clownery."

The player has consequently been banned from playing by his federation.

The Kiev Region Football Federation said on its website that Kozlenko had been suspended for the rest of the tournament and the referee, Oleksiy Drachov, was also banned for failing to discipline him during the game.

Drachov's assistant referees and the match delegate were suspended, too.

Kozlenko's team lost the group-stage game 2-1.