Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has been fined £2,500 by the Football Association for comments he made about an assistant referee following the Carling Cup final.
At a disciplinary hearing, the Gunners boss denied a charge of improper conduct and/or bringing the game into disrepute for his remarks after the clash with Chelsea on February 23, which his side lost after a stormy encounter.
However, the FA commission found against the Frenchman and concluded that his use of the word “lie” when describing the assistant’s intervention, which led to the sending off of Emmanuel Adebayor, constituted improper conduct.
Wenger made the comment after seeing three of his players - Adebayor, Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Eboue - sent off following a scuffle at the end of the match in Cardiff.
In bringing the charge against him in March, the FA demanded an explanation both for his comments about the assistant referee and his remark that "the whole system is not honest" after seeing AdebayorÂ’s appeal against a three-game ban dismissed.
Wenger said at the time: “The officials made a mistake. Adebayor did not punch Lampard and didn't intend to, we can prove it. It isn't the truth, I don't accept it.
“I cannot accept that our club is treated like this.
“I will defend it to the FA. It was a lie and is not responsible.”
Both clubs were charged with failing to control their players and/or officials as a result of the cup final melee, which also saw ChelseaÂ’s John Obi Mikel sent off.
The outcome is not the first time the FA have found against Wenger this season.
Just last month he was fined an identical amount and warned about his future conduct after an half-time altercation with referee Steve Bennett during DecemberÂ’s draw with Portsmouth at the Emirates Stadium.
In December, he was fined £10,000 for his part in a touchline row with then West Ham United manager Alan Pardew the previous month.
With regards to the Adebayor hoo-ha, I dare to criticise the FA openly for racism. They discriminated against him based on colour, therefore did not clear him even though Frank Lampard did what was right.
