balotelli apologises for recent post

Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli has issued an apology
after an image he re-posted on Instagram on Monday
led to accusations of racism and anti-Semitism.
Balotelli, 24, shared an image on Monday evening on
the social networking site featuring the Nintendo
character Mario that included the words "jumps like a
black man and grabs coins like a Jew."
The Italy international later deleted the post, describing
it as an "unlucky moment," and added that his own
adopted mother is Jewish in follow-up posts on Twitter.
However, an FA spokesperson told The Guardian the
body is investigating whether to charge Balotelli for
bringing "the game into disrepute by making comments
which included a reference to ethnic origin and/or
colour and/or race," while a Liverpool spokesman told
the Daily Telegraph: "We will be speaking to the player
about the issue."
The player himself tweeted an apology for his actions
on Tuesday morning which read: "I apologize if I've
offended anyone. The post was meant to be anti-racist
with humour. I now understand that out of context may
have had the opposite effect.
"Not all Mexicans have moustache, not all black people
jump high and not all Jewish people love money. I used
a cartoon done by someone else because it has Super
Mario and I thought it was funny and not offensive.
Again, I'm sorry."
I apologize if I've offended anyone. The post was meant
to be anti-racist with humour. I now understand that
(...) pic.twitter.com/UlNeNlEz9M
- Mario Balotelli (@FinallyMario) December 2, 2014
In the wake of the initial post, 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."
In 2012, the FA charged then-Manchester United
defender Rio Ferdinand with improper conduct and
fined him 45,000 pounds after he referred to Chelsgea
defender Ashley Cole as "choc-ice."
Under the FA's social media guidelines, the minimum
ban for race-related breaches of rules is five games