The FA gave Edinson Cavani a three-match ban for using an offensive term even though they saw proof that 'negrito' was a nickname for his lifelong friend.
The Manchester United forward received the sanction on New Year's Eve after using the term in an Instagram post in response to his friend's congratulatory post after scoring twice against Southampton in December.
In the written reasons published by the FA, England's governing body received a video statement from Cavani's friend, Pablo Fernandez, confirming this was a long-term nickname used by the striker, along with historic WhatsApp messages to prove this.