There were three games that the English Football Federation decided to suspend for the message dating from the end of November, although the Uruguayan denied any racist intention.
His friend had congratulated him after a decisive double for Manchester United in a 3-2 win over Southampton on 29 November. Cavani deleted the message and apologized. Also, your club, Manchester United defended it, explaining that the word was used in a friendly tone and that it has a different connotation in South America than in the United Kingdom.. However, it was not enough.
The explanations did not prevent Cavani from being suspended, in addition to having to pay a fine of £ 100,000 (the equivalent of about $ 137,800) and being forced to undergo awareness training.
The Uruguayan national team footballer defended himself on his social networks against any racist consideration, manifesting himself “uncomfortable”:
“I accept the disciplinary sanction for knowing that I am foreign to the English idiomatic customs, but I do not share it. I apologize if I offended someone with an expression of affection towards a friend, nothing further in my intention. Those who know me know that my effort always seeks the joy of the simplest! I appreciate the innumerable expressions of support and affection, my heart is at peace because I know that I always expressed myself with affection according to my culture and way of life ”, he concluded.
— Edi Cavani Official (@ECavaniOfficial) December 31, 2020
Academia de Letras and even Uruguayan clubs enter the discussion
The Academy of Letters of Uruguay rejected the sanction and He described it as “ignorant” and a “grave injustice”.
“References to physical, moral or personal qualities of other people are used in all the languages of the world for the creation of vocatives, that is, expressions to treat others. In some contexts these have a negative tenor and many times the same terms can be considered affectionate or friendly ”, justified the Academy in a statement.
“In the variety of Spanish in Uruguay, for example, between couples and friends, between parents and children, you can hear and read forms such as gordis, gordito, negri, negrito / a. In fact, the person being treated with these vocatives does not have to be overweight or dark-skinned to receive them.“He added.
The Plaza Colonia club in Uruguay also entered the discussion with a much stronger message that appealed to the historical past of the eastern country: “They invaded and usurped lands that they still possess, persecuted and executed people for thinking differently, enslaved, prohibited rights, were champions of religious intolerance. Today they are judges of morals, regardless of context or culture. We Cavani“, Sentenced the team on its Twitter.
They invaded and usurped lands they still own, persecuted and executed people for thinking differently, enslaved, prohibited rights, were champions of religious intolerance
Today they are judges of morality, regardless of the context or the cultural
Us, Cavani. pic.twitter.com/c4rbAjvsUk
— Club Plaza Colonia (@PlazaColonia) December 31, 2020
Due to his suspension, Cavani (33), who joined Manchester United in October, was unable to play Aston Villa on Friday and will miss the League Cup semi-final against Manchester City, as well as the third round of the Cup of England against Watford.
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