A soccer player in the UK has been fined £10,000 (about $16,000) for calling a teammate “gay” on Twitter.
Last month, Liverpool FC midfielder Jesús Fernández Sáenz, known popularly as “Suso,” tweeted a photo of fellow player Jose Enrique getting his teeth whitened, and included the comment: “What fuck is he doing? This guy is gay… he does everything except play football.”
A statement from The Football Association explained the penalty:
“The charge, which the player admitted and requested a paper hearing, was that he acted in a way which was improper and/or brought the game into disrepute in that the comment was posted on his Twitter account and included a reference to a person/s sexual orientation and/or disability.”
The Guardian reports Suso, a 19-year-old from Spain, “has become an increasingly important member of the Reds’ first team and has made 13 appearances so far this season.”
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Though Suso reiterated his regret over the comment, tweeting “Once again I apologize if anyone was offended,” Enrique thinks he shouldn’t have been penalized in the first place. “Is amazing how FA can fine my friend Suso Fernandez for a banter thing. Was just a joke!!!” he tweeted.
What do you think? Do pro teams need to be tough to keep players in line, or is this overkill? Make the call in the comments section below.
2eo
To also add, the British Football Association has also been mired in a series of r@ce rows over the past few months so it is responding in context of that in the media.
That is too say that the right press will attack the fine as Politically Correct [whatever that means] and against British culture or something utterly as banal, the FA itself will do nothing beyond the punitive fine and it will never be mentioned again.
These idiots have been ascended to the role of gods, they accept this, therefore they have a moral obligation to set good examples.
Charli Girl
Aaaaand yet another up and coming insecure little male… Parents and his peers are to blame for him feeling like he’s come up short in life….
MartinNYID
How about taking that 10 grand and putting it toward all the bullies in schools that do this kind of thing every day – funny how that barely makes headlines.
smithster11
In my mind a $16k fine is overkill. At what point are we too sensitive?
ChiChi Man
It’s not just banter between pals. It’s out for thousands (if not millions) of kids to read and think it’s okay to call each other gay as denigrating. Pay up!
AEH
Seems like an overreaction with excessive penalties. It’s stupid that some people seem to think “gay” is an insult, but are we really going to fine every single person for uttering the word in an improper context?
Tracy
It’s Sáez, not Sáenz.
£10,000 is overkill for a mailman; for a Premier League footballer, it’s chump change.