Mario Balotelli apologises for 'offensive' Instagram 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 Chelsea 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.