Edinson Cavani deserves more than a three-game ban for Instagram post, says Troy Deeney
Cavani was replying to a congratulatory message on Instagram when he used the term
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Your support makes all the difference.Edinson Cavani deserves more than a three-match suspension for using the Spanish word “negrito” in a social media post, according to Troy Deeney.
Cavani was replying to a congratulatory message on Instagram, following his crucial role in Manchester United’s 3-2 comeback win at Southampton on Sunday, when he used the phrase “Gracias negrito”.
‘Negrito’ directly translates to English as ‘black’. In Uruguay it is typically used as an affectionate slang term. Once Cavani was made aware of the possible offence caused to a wider audience, he deleted the post.
However, a precedent was set last season when Manchester City’s Bernardo Silva was suspended for one game for a social media post which breached FA guidelines, despite his claims of lacking intent to offend, and such offences now carry a minimum three-match ban.
“It’s never right, no matter which way you look at it,” the Watford captain Deeney said on TalkSport. “I just think when you write a message out, it’s considered, nine times out of 10, that you’ll proofread it before putting it out there because you don’t want to make yourself look an idiot.
- Read more: Cavani could face three-game ban
- Read more: Cavani inspires United to victory at Southampton
“But at no point did he think ‘that’s not right’ – that’s what worried me a little bit. I understand we get three-game bans now, but I just want to know whether the FA are educating players when they come to this country. I don’t think he’s meant it to insult anyone, but he needs to be educated on what is acceptable and what isn’t.”
Asked if a three-match ban is adequate, Deeney said: “No, I don’t think it is. It’s a considered post. He’s written it out, thought about it, and he’s got people around him who would say, ‘I don’t think you should really do that’.
“He’s probably acted in a moment of happiness, obviously after scoring, that’s why I don’t take it as he meant offence by it, he just hasn’t understood the ramifications of his words.
“I do think at times three games isn’t enough, because it’s got to be three games with a form of education in my opinion. There needs to be an understanding that these words hurt people and the reasons why they hurt people.”
‘Negrito’ was also the term Luis Suarez used towards Patrice Evra which earned him an eight-game ban in 2011. An FA panel rejected Suarez’s claim that the phrase a term of endearment, given the context of their “heated exchanges” during the game between Suarez’s Liverpool and Evra’s Manchester United.
Deeney added: “I’d be very interested to see what Patrice Evra has got to say on it.”
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