FA to take no action over Mackay messages

The Football Association has confirmed no action will be taken over offensive text messages sent by Malky Mackay when he was manager of Cardiff City.

The FA said a thorough investigation into text messages and emails exchanged between Mackay and Iain Moody, who was head of recruitment of Cardiff at the time, revealed no reason to press charges against either man.

A statement released by the governing body on Thursday said: "Having assessed the evidence, and in light of the finding that the communications were sent with a legitimate expectation of privacy, The FA will not be taking disciplinary action against Iain Moody and Malky Mackay in connection with the content of those messages.

"However, The FA has spoken to both Iain Moody and Malky Mackay about the inappropriateness of terms used in the messages. Both individuals have acknowledged that such terms are not acceptable. Mr Mackay has also voluntarily undertaken equality and diversity training."

A wider review of the pair's time at Cardiff was also carried out, in order to establish whether they were engaged in "discriminatory behaviour" at the club, and the FA's decision is that no charges will be brought in respect of their conduct.

The statement continued: "The FA has pursued every lead and encouraged anybody who wanted to provide information or evidence to do so. Malky Mackay and Iain Moody have been interviewed at length and 27 potential witnesses, based in the UK and overseas, have been spoken to.

"At this stage no disciplinary charges will be brought against either Malky Mackay or Iain Moody in respect of their conduct whilst they were employed by Cardiff City FC."

The statement said that the FA is currently reviewing the process of how communications involving discriminatory language should be treated in future.

Mackay was sacked by Wigan Athletic in April, less than five months after being appointed by the Lancashire club.