Sporting KC fined by FIFA for Honduras complaint

Sporting Kansas City manager Peter Vermes must be relieved. Not happy but relieved. FIFA fined Sporting KC and Roger Espinoza small fines (less than $15,000). *

The punishment from FIFA could have been severe, forfeit of games, being banned from incoming transfers for the next season or much larger fines.

National Autonomous Federation of Football of Honduras (FENAFUTH) filed the complaint against Sporting KC when Espinoza withdrew from national team duty with a back injury but then played in a match during the time he would have been with Honduras.

Espinoza was injured and missed several days of practice during that time but ended up playing the full 90 against Montreal on June 10th. Espinoza at out the match on June 3rd as well but was suspended by MLS for that game.

Vermes told the Star that it was a miscommunication of paperwork not being filed and would not happen again.

With Sporting KC in a very tight race in the Western Conference Standings a forfeit of the match or more could have been devastating for their playoff hopes.

* corrected typo on amount