Manchester United striker, Edinson Cavani will miss the club’s next three matches due to a ban by the Football Association over an Instagram post found to be offensive.
Goal reports that the 33-year-old Uruguayan was also charged £100,000 for the post which he shared in response to a congratulatory message from a friend.
The former Paris St-Germain striker will miss United’s games against Aston Villa, Manchester City and Watford as a result of the ban.
The post which he shared in November was immediately deleted with an apology from the striker who said he never meant to “cause offense to anyone.”
He said, “The message I posted after the game on Sunday was intended as an affectionate greeting to a friend, thanking him for his congratulations after the game.
“The last thing I wanted to do was cause offense to anyone. I am completely opposed to racism and deleted the message as soon as it was explained that it can be interpreted differently. I would like to sincerely apologise for this.”
In a statement issued, Manchester United revealed that the post by Cavani had no racist intent and that the player will not be contesting the charge.
The club said, “As he has stated, Edinson Cavani wasn’t aware that his words could have been misconstrued and he sincerely apologised for the post and to anyone who was offended.
“Despite his honest belief that he was simply sending an affectionate thank you in response to a congratulatory message from a close friend, he chose not to contest the charge out of respect for, and solidarity with, The FA and the fight against racism in football.
“While it is clear that context and intent are key factors, we note that the independent Regulatory Commission was required to impose a minimum three-game suspension. The club trusts that the independent Regulatory Commission will make it clear in its written reasons that Edinson Cavani is not a racist, nor was there any racist intent in relation to his post.”
