England's FA accepts Cavani not racist despite ban over social media post

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester United v Wolverhampton Wanderers - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - December 29, 2020 Manchester United's Edinson Cavani Pool via REUTERS/Martin Rickett

(Reuters) - The English Football Association (FA) panel handed Edinson Cavani a three-match suspension despite acknowledging the Manchester United striker was not deliberately racist and had not known his language on social media was offensive.

Uruguay striker Cavani was last week banned for three games and fined 100,000 pounds ($136,000) for posting an Instagram message to a friend with what the FA decided to be a racist term after his Manchester United side's 3-2 win over Southampton on Nov. 29.