Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli has been forced to apologize for a post on social media which Jewish leaders in the UK insist appears to contain anti-Semitic and racist references.
The picture posted by the Italian striker had an image of ‘Super Mario’ with the heading, ‘Don’t be a racist!’
The text read: ‘Be like Mario, he’s an Italian plumber, created by Japanese people, who speaks English and looks like a Mexican’.
It finished with the lines: ‘He jumps like a black man and grabs coins like a Jew’.
Responding to criticism on Twitter, Balotelli then tweeted: “My Mom is Jewish so all of you shut up please.”
He also described reposting the image as ‘my unlucky moment’. However, he later wrote: “I apologize if I’ve offended anyone.
Balotelli, 24, quickly deleted the post from his Instagram page of Nintendo computer game character Super Mario.
The Ghanaian Italian initially tweeted to deny the text of the post was offensive before he was force to make the apology.
The British Football Association is to investigate the post, while Liverpool say they will speak to Balotelli.
According to Mario:
The post was meant to be anti-racist with humour. I now understand that out of context it may have the opposite effect.
Not all Mexicans have a moustache, not all black people jump high and not all Jewish people love money.
I used a cartoon done by somebody else because it has Super Mario and I thought it was funny and not offensive. Again, I’m sorry.
A Liverpool spokesman told BBC Sport: “We are aware of the posting which has since been promptly deleted by the player.
“We will be speaking to the player about the issue.”
Former FA executive and current chief executive of the Jewish Leadership Council Simon Johnson said Balotelli should face action.
“We abhor all forms of racism, wherever it is found,” Johnson told the Daily Telegraph.
“We call upon the FA to investigate this offensive social media post and to take action if appropriate if we are to succeed in kicking racism out of football.”
If Balotelli is found guilty of racism Under the FA’s social media guidelines, the minimum ban for race-related breaches of rules is five games.
In September, Merseyside Police investigated myriad racist abuse of Balotelli on Twitter after he posted a message during Manchester United’s 5-3 defeat against Leicester City.
At 24, and with Balotelli’s sense of humor, vis-a-vis the racism he continues to suffer at the hands of fans in Britain and the European subcontinent as a whole, in addition to having been born to Ghanaian parents, adopted by Italians, it is difficult to argue that Mario Balotelli has a racist born in him.
Since, only leaders in the Jewish societies have come swinging on a man no people of African descent, or Mexicans or even Italians are calling racist.
Perhaps, there’s more to this story than catches the eye. Perhaps Balotelli must be silenced in Europe once and for all for absolutely no reason.
What a stupid overreaction these Jewish people have! What is racist or anti-Semitic about the fact that Jews like money and aim to conquer all the world’s economic systems? Please somebody do explain if there is something problematic because I do not see it.
You think jews are overreacting?
Nothing offensive. And it’s not even his picture. Below the handle is @theladbible. As much as they hate how good he is, you can’t suspend or fine him for something that 1) isn’t offensive and 2) he didn’t draw.
Since when is sharing a post a crime? Once the black man did it. The only offense is Anti-black hate and white Europeans and white Americans are the most violent offenders.
Ey, Mr Bibatelli… the man who couldn’t figure out how to put on a bib. Goodness, you need to grow up a little.