THE Football Association faced heavy criticism yesterday from campaign groups after failing to punish Malky Mackay and Iain Moody for sending racist and homophobic texts.

The investigation into a private conversation via text message 11 months ago, when the pair worked for Cardiff City, was concluded with both of them escaping disciplinary action.

The FA said that the exchange took place “with a legitimate expectation of privacy” and that both Mackay and Moody had acknowledged that some of the language used in their text exchange was not acceptable.