Edinson Cavani has received a three-game suspension from the FA as punishment for a social media post made in the aftermath of Manchester United‘s victory over Southampton on 29 November.
The Uruguay striker has also been fined £100,000 and must complete a face-to-face education course as a consequence of the post, which constituted a breach of the FA Rule E3.
Edinson Cavani Suspended For Three Matches
FA Releases Statement Detailing The Striker’s Punishment
On 31 December, the FA released a statement explaining the sanctions handed to the 33-year-old, explaining that the comment posted on the forward’s Instagram page was “insulting, abusive, improper and brought the game into disrepute contrary to FA Rule E3.1.”
The statement also added that the post “constitutes an ‘aggravated breach’, which is defined in FA Rule E3.2, as it included reference, whether express or implied, to colour and/or race and/or ethnic origin”.
The FA concluded its statement by informing the public that an Independent Regulatory Commission was appointed to determine Cavani’s sanction, and that written reasons explaining its decision will be released in due course.
What Exactly Did Cavani Post?
A summer signing as a free agent, Cavani is now mid-way through his first season as a Manchester United player. The striker came on as a substitute and inspired his side to a come-from-behind win against Southampton in the Premier League at the end of November.
Having scored twice in the game to ensure a 3-2 win for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer‘s team, Cavani celebrated the result by making the post in question. It was then brought to the striker’s attention that the language he used contained a Spanish phrase which is offensive in some contexts, leading Cavani to delete the post and issue a public apology.
“It was intended as an affectionate greeting to a friend, thanking him for his congratulations after the game,” said the former Paris-Saint-Germain striker.
“The last thing I wanted to do was cause offence to anyone. I am completely opposed to racism and deleted the message as soon as it was explained that it could be interpreted differently,” Cavani added.
The suspension handed to Edinson Cavani takes effect immediately, meaning he will be unable to feature in his club’s encounter with Aston Villa on New Year’s Day. In response to the incident, senior figures in the game have suggested that players entering English football from overseas should be subject to mandatory language education courses.
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