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Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has been charged by the English Football Association for wearing a yellow ribbon during matches in apparent protest against the imprisonment of pro-independence politicians in his native Catalonia.
The ex-Barcelona boss, who has sported the ribbon in City’s Premier League matches as well as games in domestic and European cup competitions this season, has until March 5 to respond to the charges, an FA statement said on Friday.
The ribbon had breached the FA’s kit and advertising regulations, reports Reuters citing the statement.
A BBC report says the FA had spoken to Guardiola about the issue in mid-December and two formal warnings had been given which were ignored.
The charge was then triggered when he again wore it pitchside - he is free to wear it elsewhere - during City's shock FA Cup loss against Wigan on Monday.
Two key members of the Catalan independence movement were held without bail after an independence vote in October, which the Madrid government deemed illegal.
Guardiola had said in November: “If one day in prison was already too much, look how many days they've been there now.”
“Like everybody knows, hopefully sooner or later I can stop wearing it.”
“All the politicians that are in prison, I hope they can leave and go back home soon with their families and continue living the lives they deserve.”