Duo fined for Twitter comments

Duo fined for Twitter comments

Newcastle forward Nile Ranger and Walsall's Manny Smith have been fined £6,000 and £1,200 respectively and warned as to their future conduct after admitting making homophobic comments on Twitter.

The pair were charged by the Football Association on Monday along with Manchester United striker Federico Macheda. All three were accused of acting in a way which was ''improper and/or brought the game into disrepute'', including ''a reference to a person's or persons' sexual orientation''.

An FA statement read: ''Newcastle United's Nile Ranger and Walsall's Manny Smith have been fined £6,000 and £1,200 respectively and both warned as to their future conduct after each admitting a charge of using abusive and/or insulting words including a reference to a person's sexual orientation.

''The charges relate to Twitter comments and both players requested a paper hearing.''

No details of the case involving Macheda, currently on loan at QPR, were confirmed.

West Ham midfielder Ravel Morrison was last week fined £7,000 by the FA in response to a homophobic remark made on Twitter.

Morrison, who completed an undisclosed switch to Upton Park from Manchester United at the end of January, is reported to have made the comment in response to another Twitter user. The 19-year-old was also warned as to his future conduct by the FA.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story/_/id/1029464/duo-fined-for-homophobic-comments-on-twitter?cc=5739

And Babel has to pay 10k for a picture!

Can I just ask why making homophobic comments publicly and being caught is only punished with a tiny fine, and no match ban?

Is it because it wasn't on a football field?

I'm struggling to get my head around the differences in punishment that are being given out by the FA. It looks seriously like they are saying it is not that bad to be homophobic, that players just need a slap on the wrist or a stern telling off, and for me it is a terrible example to be setting for young players and fans.

With the wages players earn, this is no deterrent. For a player earning "only" £30-40,000 per week, the average fine from the above article of approx. £4,700 is pitiful and insignificant.

I just feel that all cases of discrimination, should they be racial, homophobic or another form of intolerance or abuse, should be treated in the same manner.

I appreciate that banging the drum about the FA being inconsistent, and making up the rules as they go along to fit their own agenda, is pointless, and has been done countless times before. However, my anger at this "non-action", coupled with the hounding of one of our players where there was no evidence whatsoever besides word of mouth (from a terrible "witness"!), shocks me to the core.

The same can be said of the national media, who in large part whipped up a public frenzy of xenophobia and hate regarding the Suarez case, yet remain largely mute or opinionless in cases like the one reported here, despite hard evidence proving the player to be at fault.

Now I know I'm ranting on, but this really does enrage me. It is a disgrace, pure and simple.

Can I just ask why making homophobic comments publicly and being caught is only punished with a tiny fine, and no match ban?

Is it because it wasn't on a football field?

I'm struggling to get my head around the differences in punishment that are being given out by the FA. It looks seriously like they are saying it is not that bad to be homophobic, that players just need a slap on the wrist or a stern telling off, and for me it is a terrible example to be setting for young players and fans.

With the wages players earn, this is no deterrent. For a player earning "only" £30-40,000 per week, the average fine from the above article of approx. £4,700 is pitiful and insignificant.

I just feel that all cases of discrimination, should they be racial, homophobic or another form of intolerance or abuse, should be treated in the same manner.

True.

I appreciate that banging the drum about the FA being inconsistent, and making up the rules as they go along to fit their own agenda, is pointless, and has been done countless times before. However, my anger at this "non-action", coupled with the hounding of one of our players where there was no evidence whatsoever besides word of mouth (from a terrible "witness"!), shocks me to the core.

The same can be said of the national media, who in large part whipped up a public frenzy of xenophobia and hate regarding the Suarez case, yet remain largely mute or opinionless in cases like the one reported here, despite hard evidence proving the player to be at fault.

Now I know I'm ranting on, but this really does enrage me. It is a disgrace, pure and simple.

I'm not sure why you're shocked personally... as you said the FA are a bunch of cu*ts who make up rules as they go to suit their own needs. However the equally biased English media are just as much to blame because they have so much influence over the narrow-minded general populous. If said media choose to report a story in a way that is neither truth nor neutral, instead writing a bigoted, biased piece in accord with their own agendas then unfortunately many of the naive population are influenced to the point where they are at the mercy of the storytellers. This is what leads to the nation-wide hysteria as seen in the Suarez case. The media are in a position of power, their duty is to inform the public of the news stories so that they may gain knowledge and form their own opinions, not to brainwash the naive population and stir havoc. Unfortunately now the media industry exists solely to make money, so as with many things when involved with money morals go out the window.

Had these players been bigger names i'd expect this story to be bigger news, as it is, the media do not feel the need to further dramatise the story as they feel it is unlikely to sell papers..

I don't understand it as well.

I don't care if they are not bigger names or not but if it happened to be a Liverpool player, I wouldn't be surprised with a ban and a hefty fine. Babel only posted a picture of Webb in a Manc top, nothing homophobic or racist about that and he had to pay 10k for a joke.

Pepe Reina got criticised for appearing in a racist AND homophobic joke but I don't think that warrants any ban or fine as it's an advetisement but because he's a Liverpool player, he's a racist.

Average of 4,700 pounds fine is nothing and it is not good enough because what does it say when three young men have come out with homophobic comments?

Yet again double standards by the FA, hidden on a quiet Monday/Tuesday, in my mind it beggars belief, from the Gaurdian: yes I know it was on Twitter, but they FA have done this, its in Black and white, so no question of guilt, no public outcry from the media, no match bans!!!!

Manchester United striker Federico Macheda has been fined £15,000 and warned about his future conduct after admitting making homophobic comments on Twitter.

The 20-year-old Italian, who is on loan at Queens Park Rangers, was charged by the Football Association last month along with Newcastle forward Nile Ranger and Walsall's Manny Smith.

An FA statement today read: "Federico Macheda has been fined £15,000 and warned as to his future conduct after the Manchester United player admitted use of an abusive and/or insulting word including a reference to a person's sexual orientation.

"Macheda had requested a personal hearing in relation to the charge for comments he made on Twitter."

Ranger and Smith were last Thursday fined £6,000 and £1,200 respectively and also handed a warning by the FA after admitting making homophobic comments on Twitter.

West Ham midfielder Ravel Morrison was also recently fined £7,000 by the FA in response to a homophobic remark made on Twitter.

Morrison, who completed an undisclosed switch to Upton Park from Manchester United at the end of January, is reported to have made the comment in response to another Twitter user.

The 19-year-old was also warned as to his future conduct by the FA.