LONDON – Everton defender Yerry Mina has been fined 10,000
pounds (12,500 dollars) for breaching Football Association (FA) rules
regarding betting.
The 24-year-old, who was also warned as to his future conduct,
admitted the charge filed in July after appearing in an advert on
Colombian TV for betting company Betjuego. The FA published detailed
reasons behind the decision, dated last week, on Tuesday.
Everton issued mitigation in Mina's defence, saying his "command of
the English language is limited" and that he did "not understand the
information on betting."
Mina had pointed out that he was not due to earn money directly from
the advert, though a fee was set to go to the Yerry Mina Foundation,
to help disadvantaged people in his home town in Colombia.
"A warning alone would be insufficient to reflect the seriousness of
such a breach given that the integrity of the game is potentially
threatened by breaches of the FA's betting rules," the FA Regulatory
Commission said.
"The Commission felt that the imposition of a fine would be
appropriate and proportionate in the circumstances."