Mina avoids ban over betting advert as FA fines and warns Everton defender

Everton defender Yerry Mina has been fined £10,000 and served with a warning but avoided a ban after appearing in an advert for a betting company in his native Colombia.

Mina breached the Football Association's strict betting rules by taking part in a campaign for the company Betjuego, and he accepted a misconduct charge.

"The Everton FC defender breached FA rule E8(3) by participating in an advertisement for betting activity which he is prohibited from engaging in," said the English national governing body.

The rule in question states: "An individual participant, when acting in a personal capacity, shall not be permitted to advertise or promote any betting activity that the participant is prohibited from engaging in."

Players in England are strictly forbidden from gambling on all football activities, or advertising betting companies in a personal role, although clubs are allowed to be sponsored by such businesses and wear brand logos on their shirts - as is the case with Everton.

Defender Mina, 24, joined Everton for a reported £27million from Barcelona in August 2018 after impressing for his country at the World Cup.

The FA hearing in his case was told, among a series of points in mitigation put forward by Everton, that Mina had not understood the betting rules because of his limited command of the English language.

Everton stated he would not have profited from appearing in the advert, as his fee was due to be paid to his own charitable foundation designated to help young people from his home town.