Manchester City fined for anti-doping violation

Manchester City has been fined £35,000 by the English Football Association (FA) for a breach of anti-doping rules.

The FA announced the decision Thursday with a statement on its website, adding that City was charged with failing to accurately inform the football governing body of its "club whereabouts" - the locations of players ahead of drug tests.

"Following an Independent Regulatory Commission hearing, Manchester City has been fined £35,000 and warned as to their future conduct after admitting a breach of The FA's rules on anti-doping," the FA's statement reads.

City had until Jan. 19 to appeal the FA's charge.

According to the BBC, the FA requires all clubs to submit details of their respective training sessions, along with home addresses of players, to ensure drug tests can take place.

The violation occurred on three instances, Jamie Jackson and Sean Ingle of the Guardian report. Under the three-strikes-and-out policy of the FA, City has been slapped with a financial penalty, though considering recent fines for other infractions, it's hardly a cost the club can't afford.

For perspective, City full-back Bacary Sagna was recently fined £40,000 for a comment posted on social media in which he suggested ref Lee Mason turned Manchester City's Premier League victory over Burnley into "10 against 12."

Similarly, Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho was slapped with a £50,000 fine and a touchline ban for "using abusive and/or insulting words toward a match official" in November.