The English FA has fined Liverpool striker Ryan Babel $16,000 dollars) for using social networking site Twitter to criticize referee Howard Webb.

The Dutchman linked to a mocked-up picture of Webb in a Manchester United shirt after Liverpool lost 1-0 in the FA Cup and wrote: "And they call him one of the best referees? That's a joke. SMH (shaking my head)."

"Social network sites must be regarded as being in the public domain," regulatory commission chairman Roger Burden said. "All participants need to be aware, in the same way as if making a public statement in other forms of media, that any comments would be transmitted to a wider audience."