UK-Bangladeshi Hamza Choudhury apologizes for backing Palestine online, fearing FA sanctions

  • October 31, 2023

Hamza Choudhury, a midfielder for Leicester City, says he is “sorry for any offense he may have caused” with a social media comment often interpreted as pro-Palestinian nationalism. Monday, Choudhury posted “From river to sea” alongside an image of the Palestinian flag on X, formerly Twitter. Critics argue that the phrase implies Israel’s annihilation, but some pro-Palestinian protesters disagree. Choudhury, 26, stated that his post was “unfortunately misconstrued.”

The former England Under-21 midfielder, who deleted the post on Tuesday, stated in a statement, “It was never my intention to offend anyone, but rather to express sympathy for the innocent people who are suffering.”I apologize for any offense caused by this. I share the hope of people around the globe that a peaceful resolution to this conflict will end the ongoing suffering of innocent people.” The Football Association is reportedly aware of Choudhury’s original post and contemplating whether it violates any regulations. The Championship club Leicester stated, “We have discussed the matter with Hamza and shared our concerns that views expressed in this manner – without sufficient context on a deeply nuanced and sensitive topic – are susceptible to misinterpretation, which risks unintentional offense to certain segments of our communities.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/67261620

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