FA to look into Mario Balotelli’s Instagram

The FA is set to investigate anti-semetic posts on the Instagram page of Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli.

Balotelli later deleted the post on his Instagram page, which portrayed the Nintendo character Super Mario – with whom he shares a nickname – alongside a racial stereotype and anti-Semitic comment.

Balotelli was quickly criticised by other social media users, and the posts were deleted.

Balotelli later posted: “My Mom is jewish so all of u shut up please (sic).”

“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,” said a spokesman for Liverpool.

The incident comes after a controversy involving Wigan Athletic chairman Dave Whelan, who has been charged by the FA over comments about Jewish and Chinese people.

Under the FA’s social media guidelines, the minimum ban for race-related breaches of rules is five games.