Football news - Uruguayan players demand FA overturns 'reprehensible' Edinson Cavani ban

Updated 04/01/2021 at 15:04 GMT

Uruguayan defender Diego Godin has taken to Twitter to publicise a statement from the Uruguayan Football Players' Association which defended Edinson Cavani after his three-match ban for a social media post. He was banned for using the term, "n*****o," which the Association contends is an acceptable term to use, while Cavani and Manchester United have accepted the player's ban.

Edinson Cavani

Image credit: Getty Images

Diego Godin has publicised a message from the Uruguayan Football Players' Association defending Edinson Cavani and accusing the English FA of discrimination.

The Cagliari central defender is a Uruguayan national team-mate of Cavani, and used Twitter to post the statement on his account.

The statement says that the association members, “condemn the arbitrary conduct of the English Football Association. Far from condemning racism, the English Football Association has itself committed a discriminatory act against the culture and way of life of Uruguayan people.”

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The statement continued: “Edinson Cavani has never committed any conduct that could be interpreted as racist. He merely used a common expression in Latin America to affectionately address a loved one or close friend.”

Later, the AFU called for the ban on the striker to be rescinded, writing: “We request the FA to immediately overturn the sanction imposed on Edinson Cavani."

Cavani was banned for three games after sending a message of thanks to another user, using the term of address, “n*****o.” He was subsequently charged by the FA for bringing the game into disrepute.

The former PSG player and his club accepted the ban.