An arrest warrant for footballer Fernando Forestieri has been issued after he failed to attend a court in central England on Friday.
Forestieri, a striker with English second-tier club Sheffield Wednesday, had been due to appear at Mansfield Magistrates Court, with court staff telling Britain’s Press Association that he faced one charge of using threatening words or behaviour and another of racially aggravated harassment on July 24.
The alleged offences are understood to have occurred during a post-match brawl which took place following a pre-season friendly between Wednesday and Mansfield at the One Call Stadium.
Forestieri was banned by the Football Association, the game’s governing body in England, in September for three matches and fined o25,000 ($31,730; 27,732 euros) after admitting to a misconduct charge for his part in the altercation.
Mansfield’s Jacob Mellis also admitted to an FA misconduct charge and was banned for three games and fined o1,500.
Wednesday and Mansfield were fined o20,000 and o3,000 respectively after both clubs admitted an FA misconduct charge of failing to control their players.
Forestieri was signed by Wednesday from Watford for an undisclosed fee in the summer of 2015 and has scored 35 goals in nearly 100 appearances for the Yorkshire club in all competitions.
