Bernado Silva charged by FA over Mendy tweet

[frogmiller]

Do you often apply for jobs as Mr Frog Miller?

Only on a Thursday

[PokerMillersSwinton]

I hate to think what my internet trail looks like

[CAMiller]

Manchester City's Bernardo Silva has been charged with misconduct by the Football Association over a tweet he sent to team-mate Benjamin Mendy. Silva compared Mendy to the character on a packet of Conguitos - a sweet brand available in Spain and Portugal.

The Portugal player, 25, is alleged to have committed an "aggravated breach" of FA rules as it included reference "expressed or implied, to race and/or colour and/or ethnic origin". Silva has until 9 October to respond.

Sterling defends Silva over Mendy tweet
Silva is an "exceptional person" - Guardiola
The post was published at 12:44 BST on 22 September but was deleted at 13:30, although Silva later tweeted: "Can't even joke with a friend these days."

The FA subsequently contacted City for their observations, while Silva has written to the governing body to say he regrets the fact his social media post may have unintentionally caused offence.Anti-discrimination charity Kick It Out criticised the post and urged the FA to act, adding that "racist stereotypes are never acceptable as 'banter'".

In a statement on Wednesday, the FA said Silva's activity is alleged to have been "insulting and/or improper and/or brought the game into disrepute".Silva has been repeatedly defended by Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, who said it would be a "mistake" to punish his playmaker for the tweet.

England forward Raheem Sterling supported Silva against accusations of racism, saying it was "a situation between two friends".

Mendy has also written in support of Silva, saying he did not take offence at the tweet.

France defender Mendy and Silva are close friends and played together at Monaco before both joined City in 2017. A previous video of Silva joking with Mendy has also been passed on to the FA.


There will be the PC brigade on here waiting to dive all over this but, this was private banter between two mates of which the alleged offended person did not see this as "insulting, improper or racially aggravating'' and has written to the FA to that effect.

It's about time this all stopped as it is clearly getting out of hand.

There are two solutions to this, either stop putting private jokes with your mates on Social Media platforms where everyone can see it or be like me and just have no mates

[Brin]

There are two solutions to this, either stop putting private jokes with your mates on Social Media platforms where everyone can see it or be like me and just have no mates

Somebody say summat?

[mikemiller]

As i said before no-one is safe.

when you go on facebook, what's app, forums etc you are basically submitting evidence against yourself.

The internet "collects" the evidence against us all.

When we are in the way, or a problem or they need to make an example of someone, all that is needed is to mine the memory bank of evidence.

We should all be terrified of this madness. All of us now have submitted enough evidence to be prosecuted if not now then sometime in the future when the goal posts shift again.

If true, how come nobody is stopping you from writing the usual, often deliberately offensive, rubbish? Your theory doesn't quite fit reality

[ragingpup]

The problem for the footy authorities here is that if, let's say, they use 'common sense' and let it pass, (because they might agree with us that it is not intended to be offensive, just funny post aimed at a work colleague), then they face the problem that another person could post an actually offensive, racist image against someone, but when challenged, can simply say "well that person did it and you didn't take action".

Id personally like them to judge each case on merit and use 'common sense' but can see the difficulty in them having to prove intent. As a result it can get messy and hard to prove, allowing genuine ****s to get away with posting genuinely offensive stuff that no one on this post would want to see happen. So I guess I understand why they take a rather 'black and white' view on it.

[the_idiotb_stardson]

If true, how come nobody is stopping you from writing the usual, often deliberately offensive, rubbish? Your theory doesn't quite fit reality

Then you obviously haven't read the theories of Marxist Antonio Gramsci.

You might not yet have done this module on your sociology course yet, so please forgive me if I am being a bit harsh.

[ragingpup]

Then you obviously haven't read the theories of Marxist Antonio Gramsci.

You might not yet have done this module on your sociology course yet, so please forgive me if I am being a bit harsh.

Sssh - don't get involved - you're supposed to be pretending that these posts are just lefty wind ups, not your actual opinions remember. Sssshh!

[Ronners]

The problem for the footy authorities here is that if, let's say, they use 'common sense' and let it pass, (because they might agree with us that it is not intended to be offensive, just funny post aimed at a work colleague), then they face the problem that another person could post an actually offensive, racist image against someone, but when challenged, can simply say "well that person did it and you didn't take action".

Id personally like them to judge each case on merit and use 'common sense' but can see the difficulty in them having to prove intent. As a result it can get messy and hard to prove, allowing genuine ****s to get away with posting genuinely offensive stuff that no one on this post would want to see happen. So I guess I understand why they take a rather 'black and white' view on it.

Surely it can only be deemed offensive if the person it was sent to deems it offensive raging? In this case the person it was sent to has said he didn't deem it offensive, so if the powers that be see a tweet or something on social media that they might deem racist, or evenue just offensive, shouldn't they contact the person it was sent to first and foremost?.

[Yak]

Everybody is offended on someone else’s behalf nowadays.
I have non English different skin colour friends we have banter all the time.
If the person is not offended then maybe leave it be?