Overview
- Mikel Arteta, the Arsenal head coach, was found not guilty of breaching FA Rule E3.1, which pertains to comments that are 'insulting towards match officials and/or detrimental to the game and/or bring the game into disrepute'.
- The charge was related to Arteta's comments following a 1-0 loss to Newcastle United, where he criticized the decision to award Anthony Gordon's goal and called it an 'absolute disgrace'.
- The FA's independent regulatory commission found that Arteta's comments were directed at the perceived inadequacies of the VAR system, not at the match officials themselves.
- Arteta's defense included past cases involving Jose Mourinho and Neymar, who criticized standards and decisions without being found in disrepute.
- The regulatory commission concluded that Arteta's comments did not bring the game into disrepute, as they were rooted in a desire to improve the system.