Sport

Mourinho fined for referee comments

07:33 am on 10 May 2014

The Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has been fined $20,000 after sarcastically praising the match referee and English referees' chief following a key Premier League defeat last month.

The Londoners lost 2-1 at home to a struggling Sunderland side, which ended Mourinho's 77-game unbeaten league record at Stamford Bridge and hit their title bid, with Manchester City now poised to wrap up the championship this weekend.

Mourinho told reporters he wanted to congratulate again referee Mike Dean, and his performance was unbelievable.

He added that he also wanted to thank referee's boss Mike Riley, and what they're doing through the whole season is fantastic.

Mourinho had denied the misconduct charge but the FA said that an independent commission had ruled that his comments had brought the game into disrepute and the charge for improper conduct was found proven.