The English Football Association (FA) on Friday opened a case against Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola for wearing a Catalan political symbol.
Indeed, several times this season, as in the match against Liverpool on January 14, he wears a small yellow ribbon as a sign of support for the four politicians imprisoned in Spain following the events having took place after the referendum on the independence of Catalonia.
The FA had already sent two formal warnings to City head coach, explaining that it violates the rules, without it taking into account.
“If one day in prison was already too much, look how many days they’ve been there now. Like everybody knows, hopefully sooner or later I can stop wearing it.” Guardiola told to Sky Sports.
“All the politicians that are in prison, I hope they can leave and go back home soon with their families and continue living the lives they deserve.” Guardiola added.
Guardiola, born in Santpedor, Catalonia, spent most of his career as a player and coach in Barcelona, the capital of the separatist region.
The imprisoned Catalan separatist leaders are being prosecuted by the Spanish courts for their role in the secession attempt of Catalonia that led to a unilateral proclamation of the “Catalan Republic” on 27 October 2017.
The Spanish government reacted immediately by placing the region under trusteeship, by dismissing the regional government and dissolving the Catalan parliament to call a regional poll in late December that saw the victory of the separatists.
Jordi Sanchez and Jordi Cuixart, presidents of the separatist associations Catalan National Assembly (ANC) and Omnium Cultural, were detained on 17 October 2017.
Catalonia wants independence from Spain. (Source:www.foxnews.com)
Former Catalan Vice President Oriol Junqueras, who has just been re-elected as regional Deputy, and former Regional Head of the Interior Joaquim Forn had been imprisoned in early November.
In December, Guardiola had explained wearing a yellow ribbon, symbol of the demand for release of imprisoned separatists, because he found their fate “unfair”.
“If they want to suspend me (for that) – UEFA, the Premier League, Fifa – OK, noting that during this time ‘other people are in prison.’” Guardiola told.
“If the rules allow us to do it, then he is free to do it. But I do not think the rules allow political messages on the ground,” he added.
