Leicester City midfielder Hamza Choudhury has apologised after old tweets of his making some hugely offensive comments did the rounds this weekend.
The 21-year-old has shone for the Foxes in his short Premier League career so far, but will no doubt have been embarrassed to see some of the stuff he was tweeting six years ago.
As we reported here, Choudhury was found to have posted offensive comments about women’s football, victims of self-harming and suicide, as well as making a pretty nasty racist joke.
Choudhury now insists these do not represent his views, and one hopes he will have grown up a fair amount since the time he posted them.
Still, it’s good to see the youngster apologise as Premier League footballers are now role models who need to set an example due to their fame and how they’re viewed in wider society.
“They do not represent my true beliefs,” he is quoted by BBC Sport.
“I’ve learned a lot as a person in my early years as a professional – certainly enough to know that some of the thoughtless comments I have made in the past are both hurtful and offensive.
“I’m deeply sorry to anyone I have offended – both at the time and since they’ve been recirculated.”
A Leicester spokesman added, as quoted by the BBC: “Hamza’s approach to addressing the matter and the remorse he has expressed shows the maturity he has developed in the years that have passed since the comments were made.
“He now has a far greater understanding of the impact his words and behaviour can have and is committed to using that influence in the positive, respectful and accepting manner his more recent growth has demonstrated.”
The England Under-21 international has made ten appearances for Leicester this season.