The Football Association isn’t joking around when it comes to anti-gay messages by its players. The association announced it is suspending Premier League player Andre Gray for four games for anti-gay tweets he posted four years ago. In one of those tweets he said gay people make him sick and should die.
Earlier this year the tweets got attention and Gray quickly deleted them, albeit not before screen-captures of the evidence were taken.
In addition to the suspension, the striker for Burnley has been fined 25,000 pounds, has to take an education course and has been warned about future misconduct.
From the Football Association in a statement:
"Burnley forward Andre Gray has been suspended for four matches commencing with immediate effect for misconduct in respect of social media comments. It was alleged that six postings on his Twitter account were abusive and/or insulting and/or improper and/or brought the game into disrepute contrary to Rule E3(1). It was further alleged that these breaches of Rule E3(1) included a reference to sexual orientation and/or gender and/or colour and/or race contrary to Rule E3(2). The player admitted to three of the breaches, and denied the remaining three were in breach of FA Rules. Following an Independent Regulatory Commission hearing yesterday, the remaining three breaches were found proven. The player was also fined £25,000, warned as to his future conduct and ordered to attend an FA education course."
The lessons here: 1) Don’t say you want gay people to die, and 2) the Internet is forever.
