Yerry Mina charged by FA for breaching betting rules

Everton defender Yerry Mina has been charged with misconduct in relation to The FA’s betting rules.

In a statement the FA said:

It is alleged that the defender breached FA Rule E8 (3) by participating in an advertisement for betting activity which he is prohibited from engaging in.

He has until Friday to provide a response.

The 24-year-old appeared in a betting advert for betting company Betjuego in his native Colombia earlier this year.

The video has since been removed, reportedly at Mina’s request, after the defender realised it was something he should not be associated with.

It had already been widely shared on social media though and the FA confirmed in May they were investigating the incident, resulting in this charge.

The incident highlights football’s complicated relationship with betting companies.

Mina, as a player, is not allowed to bet or appear in a betting advert, yet the kit he wears week in, week out has a betting company emblazoned on it.

When fans watch a game a stadium, betting company adverts are splashed all over the hoardings around the pitch. When watching at home, a betting company seemingly appears in every other advert (though there is a whistle-to-whistle ban coming in this season in the UK).

There was speculation earlier this year Mina could receive a lengthy ban though I think that is unlikely.

Former Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge was fined £75,000 and given a six-week ban, four of which were suspended, earlier this month for advising some of his family members to bet on his proposed future transfers.

Who knows what the FA will conclude this time, you would hope it is deemed less serious.

But any sort of ban would leave Michael Keane and Mason Holgate as Everton’s two senior centre backs unless new signings are made before next month’s deadline.