http://www.soccernet.com/england/news/2002/0813/20020813boatenghorsfield.html This incident was almost worse then Jaime Car. in LFC with the coin incident...I'm surprised with this ruling...
I think the FA must have focused only on the fact that the boot would not likely injure a fan (unlike what Carragher's coin throw could have done). Still, other than the spitting incidents which are fortunately few and far between in the Premiership, Boateng's actions were about as disrespectful to a fellow professional as it gets. I hoped he would get a suspension so he and others took notice. I really don't understand the FA sometimes....
it was partly to do with the fact that boateng apologized to dickov after the insident and he then did not wish to take up the incident with the fa. This resulted in the fa "going easy" on him....