FA fines Pep Guardiola £20,000 over yellow ribbon

Manchester City manager and former Barça coach, Pep Guardiola, has been fined 20,000 pounds (22,489 euros) by the English Football Association (FA) for wearing a yellow ribbon  during matches in support of Catalan political prisoners.

According to the FA, the ribbon is a political symbol and breaches its rules on kit and advertising. Guardiola was given two warnings about wearing the ribbon during matches at the end of last year, and then formally charged last month.

The ban on political symbols refers only to the technical area, and Guardiola is free to wear the ribbon before and after matches. He will also be able to wear the ribbon during European Champions League games, as wearing it is not a breach of UEFA regulations.