England officials have lodged their evidence in support of Dele Alli who was charged by FIFA’s disciplinary chiefs after being caught on camera making a middle-finger gesture during a game against Slovakia.
Alli could face a three-game ban which would rule him out of the start of next year’s World Cup finals but the FA have pleaded in mitigation because the offensive gesture was aimed at team-mate Kyle Walker and not the officials or opponents.
They have supported their case with footage of different camera angles and by stressing how the player made a swift admission and issued an apology on social media, soon after the match.