Neil Warnock: Cardiff City boss fined £20,000 as FA charges upheld

Cardiff City manager Neil Warnock has been fined £20,000 but has avoided a touchline ban for comments he made about Premier League officials.

The 70-year-old called them the "worst in the world" after his side's 2-1 defeat by Chelsea on 31 March.

Warnock requested a personal hearing after the charges for comments he made in three separate interviews.

A Football Association statement confirmed all the charges against Warnock were upheld at the hearing.

Cardiff led Chelsea 1-0 and had seemed on course for a much-needed three points, before Chelsea's 84th-minute equaliser which was headed home by Cesar Azpilicueta from a clearly offside position.

Warnock was also unhappy that Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger was not sent off after bringing down Kenneth Zohore shortly afterwards.

He approached the officials after the whistle but said nothing, staring at them as they left the field.

Confirming the fine, the FA said in a statement: "Neil Warnock has been fined £20,000 for commenting on the match official following the Premier League game between Cardiff City and Chelsea.

"Whilst the manager denied three breaches of FA Rule E3, they were subsequently found proven during an Independent Regulatory Commission hearing.

"Comments he made in a post-match interview with the BBC, and a post-match interview with Sky Sports, were found to be improper as they questioned the integrity of the match official and/or implied bias.

"In addition, comments he made in a Talksport radio interview on were found to constitute improper conduct and/or bring the game into disrepute."