Mario Balotelli [General]

[Leyton388]

He's great and seems like a top bloke from the stories you hear.

They should bring back MR Ben and give mario the lead role. That would be epic.

[danperkins]

First time i seen him play live against Ireland there, and his technique and movement was outstanding. Not a bad goal too. He's a crazy son of a bitch, but he's a talented,crazy son of a bitch. Personally i think he's hilarious!!

[dom9]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18610788

Euro 2012: Gazzetta apologises over Mario Balotelli cartoon

Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport has apologised for publishing a cartoon depicting Mario Balotelli as King Kong.

Some readers complained at the image, which showed the striker on top of Big Ben, swatting away footballs after Italy's Euro 2012 win over England.

A statement from Gazzetta read: "We can honestly say it was not among the best products of our talented cartoonist.

"The newspaper is for those who read it and hence, if certain readers found the cartoon offensive, we apologise."

However, Gazzetta rejected accusations of racism against the paper or its cartoonist Valerio Marini.

"At this time, a measure of prudence and good taste are necessary because everything, absolutely everything, can be misinterpreted," the statement said.

"But those that accuse Gazzetta, and poor Marini, of racism are going overboard.

"This newspaper has fought any form of racism in every stadium and has condemned the boos directed at Balotelli as an unacceptable form of incivility."

Manchester City striker Balotelli, of Ghanaian descent, was regularly the target of racist abuse when playing in Italy.

He said before Euro 2012 that he would leave the pitch if he was racially abused from the stands.

The cartoon prompted an angry response from anti-discrimination group Kick It Out.

"Mario's very presence in the Italian team is symbolic on so many levels," a spokesman said.

"The Italian media ought to champion this individual rather than singling him out as a scapegoat and somehow inferior to his international team-mates."

[Alex]

[dom9]

How is that not racist?

[Nick77]

Don't think it was intended to be racist to be fair. But these days people almost seem to look for racism in everything imo...

[Alex]

Intentional or not, Racism is Racism. Im sure we have had that discussion to ad infinitum on this site.

[Buzzo]

I can't see how its not racist at all.

Look at it this way, King Kong was a massive wild gorilla that was captured by white explorers and brought to America where they attempted to tame him, he subsequently broke free from his shackles ran amok throughout New York where he was eventually shot down having sought sanctuary at the top off the Empire State Building.

Try and pick any part of that which relates to a eccentric footballer.

And try and think if they would have used the same imagery for a white footballer.

[dom9]

It's completely racist in every possible way.

[little dave hedgehog]

i can see how you'd think of balotelli as a wild gorilla, but it's still racist.

[RedReet]

I can't see how its not racist at all.

Look at it this way, King Kong was a massive wild gorilla that was captured by white explorers and brought to America where they attempted to tame him, he subsequently broke free from his shackles ran amok throughout New York where he was eventually shot down having sought sanctuary at the top off the Empire State Building.

Try and pick any part of that which relates to a eccentric footballer.

And try and think if they would have used the same imagery for a white footballer.

That's the film ruined for me. Are we not supposed to use spoilers around here?

[Buzzo]

That's the film ruined for me. Are we not supposed to use spoilers around here?

[colin85]

[Kenneth]

[Tee]