Soccer-New Celtic signing Ciftci handed six-match ban

LONDON, July 20 (Reuters) - New Celtic signing Nadir Ciftci has been banned for six games by the Scottish Football Association (SFA) for biting an opponent during last season's Dundee derby, the governing body said on Monday. The 23-year-old Turkish forward was handed an eight-match ban, with two games suspended until the end of the season, for "excessive misconduct" after he bit the leg of Jim McAlister whilst playing for Dundee United against Dundee in May. "In that the above match you committed an act of Excessive Misconduct by biting Jim McAlister of Dundee FC upon his leg to his injury," the SFA said in a statement. Ciftci, who signed for Celtic earlier this month, scored twice in the match but was not dismissed with match officials failing to spot the incident. (Reporting By Tom Hayward; editing by Justin Palmer)