Titter fines - legal?

[PistolPete]

Just seen Ashley Cole has been fined £90k for his tweet about the FA.

Responding to the FA's judgement in the Terry racism case, Cole tweeted: "Hahahahaa, well done #fa I lied did I, #BUNCHOFT***S".

Surely that is a) Illegal on freedom of speech grounds and b) Fairly tyrannical behaviour by the FA?

[Ian Royal]

Just seen Ashley Cole has been fined £90k for his tweet about the FA.

Responding to the FA's judgement in the Terry racism case, Cole tweeted: "Hahahahaa, well done #fa I lied did I, #BUNCHOFT***S".

Surely that is a) Illegal on freedom of speech grounds and b) Fairly tyrannical behaviour by the FA?

a) Try posting up on Twitter that your boss is a fukwit, when he is one of your followers and see whether you're protected from the sack by Freedom of Speech.
b) He's criticised his governing body and brought the game into disrepute. If it's just a fine, that's pretty weak from the FA. Tyrannical my arse.

[PistolPete]

How has he brought the game into disrepute? - he brought the FA into disrepute not the game itself.

The FA did that to itself with most things they've done in the last 5 years, undermining the courts of law notwithstanding.

[who are ya?]

LOL @ a Cole's Tweet getting a heavier fine than Suarez for racist abuse.

LOLets Kick It Out

[Ian Royal]

How has he brought the game into disrepute? - he brought the FA into disrepute not the game itself.

The FA did that to itself with most things they've done in the last 5 years, undermining the courts of law notwithstanding.

They have not undermined the Courts of Law. FA investigation = balance of probability. Court = Beyond reasonable doubt. The two decisions are in no way incompatible. And mouthing off about the decision of an independent panel and critising the FA in a public forum, is quite clearly a stupid and punishable offence.

[RedRum]

The FA have done nothing illegal. They are a separate institution with authority to prosecute footballing individuals - they are in no way linked to the Crown Prosecution service who deal with criminal matters which Terry was charged with.
The law is much wider than the criminal justice system - HTH

[PistolPete]

The FA have done nothing illegal. They are a separate institution with authority to prosecute footballing individuals - they are in no way linked to the Crown Prosecution service who deal with criminal matters which Terry was charged with.
The law is much wider than the criminal justice system - HTH

Your reply was a decent one until you went with the insanely patronising 'HTH'. No it doesn't help, because what you said is stating the bleeding obvious.

In my opinion, balance of probability is all very well when deciding who stole the last cookie from the cookie jar, but when it comes to outing an individual as a racist then we really ought to go not with 'what do we THINK happened, but what we KNOW happened.

I can't stand Ashley Cole or John Terry, but I think that Cole (perhaps had he not been on 98 caps!) should have retired from international duty over this. How dare the FA call him a liar on 'the balance of probability'. To then fine him £90k (yes, 90k) for saying he disagrees and calling them rude words is an appalling abuse of power, as I said, verging on the tyrannical.

Oh, by the way, HTH.

[cmonurz]

Fwiw Pete I agree with your general sentiment that in cases such as these a higher degree of 'proof' should be required given the repercussions such a charge have on those accused of it (despite both written reports stating that Suarez and Terry are not racists, both players are inevitably now labelled as such) and the wider importance of this issue in the game.

That said, the FA has jurisdiction here and Cole's tweet is not excused on the basis of disagreeing with the FA's law and processes.

[PistolPete]

I agree that FA 'has the jurisdiction', I just can't see how you can fine someone for disagreeing or calling you names. If the fine was for the use of 'twat' then £90k is way ott.

The FA should have said with dignity 'That is his opinion, but we are now looking forward to putting this behind us and moving forward with possibly the best left back England has ever had'.

or..

'We too think that Ashley is a twat, but as we use him as a footballer we don't really care what he thinks of us as long as he continues to play well on the pitch while wearing an England shirt'.

[cmonurz]

That's not how professional sport does or should work though.

In the NBA players can expect a fine if they attend any event (game night or otherwise) not wearing the stipulated suit and tie, or team training gear. No 'well Kobe is great at basketball so he can wear what he wants.'

[Ian Royal]

The FA have done nothing illegal. They are a separate institution with authority to prosecute footballing individuals - they are in no way linked to the Crown Prosecution service who deal with criminal matters which Terry was charged with.
The law is much wider than the criminal justice system - HTH

Your reply was a decent one until you went with the insanely patronising 'HTH'. No it doesn't help, because what you said is stating the bleeding obvious.

In my opinion, balance of probability is all very well when deciding who stole the last cookie from the cookie jar, but when it comes to outing an individual as a racist then we really ought to go not with 'what do we THINK happened, but what we KNOW happened.

I can't stand Ashley Cole or John Terry, but I think that Cole (perhaps had he not been on 98 caps!) should have retired from international duty over this. How dare the FA call him a liar on 'the balance of probability'. To then fine him £90k (yes, 90k) for saying he disagrees and calling them rude words is an appalling abuse of power, as I said, verging on the tyrannical.

Oh, by the way, HTH.

Well it's a shame that your opinion isn't worth a thing then isn't it.