Mario Balotelli Instagram - Liverpool striker, Mario Balotelli will likely to face match suspensions after the Football Association's (FA) investigation over his alleged anti-Semitic and racist social media post. The controversial post was an image of video game character, Super Mario, posted by the 24-year-old athlete on Instagram.
On Dec. 1, Mario Balotelli was accused of racism and anti-Semitism for his allegedly offensive Instagram post. The striker triggered a race row on Monday night after posting the picture of a computer game character with a racial stereotype caption, The Telegraph UK reported.
"Don't be racist! Be like Mario. He's an Italian plumber created by Japanese people, who speaks English and looks like a Mexican," Mario Balotelli's Instagram post said. "... Jumps like a black man and grabs coins like a Jew."
Balotelli on Instagram. pic.twitter.com/VAcSxgmBWL
— LFC Fans Corner (@LFCFansCorner) December 1, 2014
An anti-discrimination group Kick It Out spokesperson told BBC Sport the group is aware of Mario Balotelli's Instagram post by a Twitter user and has forwarded the controversial image to the FA to conduct investigation on the matter. In line with the offensive social media post, the Football Association has asked Balotelli for his observations and has given him until 6 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 5 to respond.
"Deleting an inappropriate posting, whilst advisable, does not necessarily prevent disciplinary action being taken," as stated on the FA's guidelines on when to charge someone over a social media comment.
Meanwhile, Liverpool will be speaking with Balotelli about the issue.
"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," a Liverpool spokesman said.
After the controversial social media post grabbed several criticisms online, the Liverpool striker deleted the offending photo. He also described reposting the image as his "unlucky moment."
"My Mom is Jewish so all of u shut up please," Balotelli tweeted in response to the mounting social media criticisms.
After his controversial Instagram post, Mario Balotelli posted an apology on Twitter.
"I apologize if I've offended anyone," the Liverpool striker tweeted. "The post was meant to be anti-racist with humor. I now understand that out of context may have the opposite effect."
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
Balotelli is no stranger to racism issues, he was in fact a subject of racial discrimination on social media last September. According to BBC Sports, the Merseyside Police investigated racist comments made to Balotelli on Twitter after he posted a message during Manchester United's 5-3 defeat by Leicester City.
Following Mario Balotelli's controversial Instagram post, the FA is considering whether to charge the striker for misconduct, The Guardian reported. As per the FA's guidelines, the minimum suspension for a race-related offense is five matches.
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