FORMER MANCHESTER CITY defender Michael Ball has been fined £6,000 by the FA for a hompohobic comment made on Twitter.
Football’s governing body have called it the highest fine given out to a player for a homophobic offence and it relates to an insult directed at Coronation Street actor, Anthoney Cotton.
Ball, who has also played for Glasgow Rangers and PSV Eindhoven, made the offending insult during Cotton’s appearance on I’m a Celebrity.. Get Me out Of Here last year.
The fullback was also released by Leicester City yesterday. However, the club have officially cited ‘mutual consent’ as the reason for the cancellation of the contract, a stance reiterated by Ball on his Twitter account.
Ball, who has won one cap for England, had previously spent two years as a free agent following his stint with Manchester City.
Last summer he underwent trials with the Foxes and was subsequently offered a one year load deal. However, after the departure of Sven Goran Eriksson as manager, it seems there was no longer a place for Ball at the Walker Stadium.