DEMICHELIS IN BET STORM

MANCHESTER CITY’S Martin Demichelis has been charged by the FA for betting on football matches earlier this year. The Argentina defender is alleged to have committed 12 breaches of FA Rule E8 over the course of a week in January. A statement by the FA said Demichelis had bet on matches between January 22 and 28 and this had brought the charges. It is understood the defender allegedly put money on foreign fixtures and there is a hope at City that he will escape a ban if found guilty. Professional players must not bet on ‘any match or competition in which they participate, or in which they have any influence’. The FA rules also state they must not ‘either directly or indirectly, or instruct, permit, cause or enable any person to bet on any result, progress or conduct of a match’. Those rules were tightened ahead of last season, to also clamp down on betting involving ‘any other matter concerning or related to any club participating in any league competition’. That involves the transfer of players, employment of managers, team selection or disciplinary matters. Demichelis played for City during their 2-2 draw away at West Ham United on January 23, when the Argentine was booked by referee Craig Pawson. There was a full Premier League programme that weekend but no suggestion Demichelis is alleged to have placed money on any of those fixtures or the two Capital One Cup semi-finals that week, when City brushed aside Everton 3-1 on the Wednesday after Liverpool had squeezed past Stoke City the night before. Demichelis, who could leave the Etihad Stadium this summer, has until 5pm on April 5 to officially respond to the charge. But speaking yesterday in Argentina before his return to Manchester, he said: ‘When I arrive in England I am going to talk with the lawyers about the charge I am accused of.’ Newcastle winger Andros Townsend was banned for four months and slapped with an £18,000 fine while at Tottenham after being found guilty of betting breaches in June 2013.