Manchester United's Garnacho Avoids FA Charge Over Gorilla Emojis Social Media Post

FA satisfied with Alejandro Garnacho's explanation that emojis were intended to highlight the strength of teammates, no penalties issued but player reminded of social media responsibilities.

• Alejandro Garnacho, Manchester United forward, will not be charged by the Football Association (FA) for using gorilla emojis in a social media post; the post was intended to highlight teammates Andre Onana and Harry Maguire's instrumental roles in Manchester United's win over FC Copenhagen.
• The Football Association has expressed satisfaction with Garnacho's explanation and the context it provides, consequently deciding not to pursue disciplinary proceedings in this matter.
• Following the incident, the FA reminded Garnacho of his social media responsibilities, particularly with regard to the use of emojis which can be interpreted in varying ways.
• The FA plans to engage in discussions with Kick It Out and the PFA about potential issues surrounding emojis and similar forms of messaging on social media, in order to establish what educational measures might be provided regarding their usage.
• Andre Onana defended his teammate Garnacho's post, asserting the intention was to emphasize power and strength, and that he wasn't offended by the emojis.

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