MARK Hughes will have the final word on striker Craig Bellamy's Welsh selection if he is convicted of racially aggravated behaviour.

The Newcastle United hotshot (pictured) denies two charges of using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour, which were allegedly racially-aggravated, and will appear before Cardiff Magistrates for committal proceedings on August 7.

Wales' next Group Nine clash is against Serbia/Montenegro in Belgrade on August 20.

The Football Association of Wales will 'not dictate' to Wales manager Hughes which players he can and cannot pick, Head of International Affairs Mark Evans told the Argus.

Speedster Bellamy, 24, who has scored six goals in 20 Welsh outings, is accused of using racially aggravated behaviour during an incident involving a club doorman at Cardiff night-spot Jumpin' Jaks in the early hours of March 24.

This is an unprecedented case for the FAW but their English counterparts have proved they can make a player unavailable for England selection.

The FA's then chief executive Adam Crozier, together with head coach Sven Goran Eriksson, agreed that Jonathan Woodgate and Lee Bowyer should not be picked while court proceedings were pending against them.

But the FA insist they will only stop their head coach picking a player if they consider the charge is serious.

Woodgate was found guilty of affray while Bowyer was cleared of causing grievous bodily harm to Asian student Sarfraz Najeib.

The allegation against Bellamy, however, is not as serious and Welsh football's top brass, who have no written code of conduct on claims of racism, maintain they will not ban Hughes from picking any member of his squad.

Evans revealed: "Neither the FAW or the full council would block Mark Hughes from picking any member of his squad.

"The FA of Wales actively support the Kick Racism Out Of Football and Show Racism the Red Card initiative and have a zero-tolerance stance on racism.

"In this case, however, national team manager Mark Hughes will have the final word."

Hughes could decide to suspend - or just not pick - Bellamy for one match if he is convicted.

Bellamy's club Newcastle, third in last season's Premiership, have threatened to sell him if he is found guilty of racially aggravated behaviour.

The Welsh lead Group Nine from Italy by two points and face the Azzurri two-and-a-half weeks after their visit to Serbia.