Balotelli accepts FA racist charge

Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli has accepted a Football Association charge in relation to making racist and anti-semitic comments on social media but has offered mitigation for his actions.

The Italy international was charged a week ago with breaching FA rule E3(1) as a result of his posting of an image of computer game character Super Mario on Instagram which included the words “jumps like a black man and grabs coins like a Jew”.

His offence was deemed to be an ‘aggravated breach’, as defined by rule E3(2), as it included a reference to ethnic origin, colour, race, nationality or religion or belief.