Leicester City player Hamza Choudhury has issued a statement apologising for ‘any offence caused’ after appearing to upload a pro-Palestine post to his social media account. The 26-year-old has sought to clarify his position on the ongoing situation between Israel and Hamas after his post caused controversy on Monday, but he still reportedly could face a probe from the Football Association.
On Monday morning, Choudhury uploaded a tweet on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, writing: “From river to sea…”. It is a phrase that has been chanted by Palestinian protestors, with it being heard at a recent demonstration in London over the weekend outside No 10 Downing Street.
The post was also accompanied with an emoji of the Palestine flag and at the time of writing had not been removed from his account. Choudhury also previously reposted a tweet regarding Celtic supporters displaying Palestinian flags inside their stadium.
The FA have since been made aware of the post and were said to be deliberating on Monday night as to whether to intervene over the matter. They are yet to make a public statement in relation to the post, but Choudhury could be facing a probe if he is found to have breached FA regulations.
The midfielder has since published an apology for ‘any offence caused’, clarifying his position on the Gaza conflict in the Middle East, where thousands of people have lost their lives.
“I want to address my earlier post which has unfortunately been misinterpreted,” he said. “It was and is not my intention to cause offence to anyone but to simply show compassion for the innocent people that are suffering. I’m sorry for any offense [sic] this has caused.
“I share the hope of the people around the world that a peaceful resolution can bring an end to the ongoing suffering of innocent people in this conflict, inshaAllah, Hamza.”
Choudhury made his Leicester debut back in 2017 and has gone on to make 94 appearances for the Foxes, scoring two goals. The club’s academy graduate also won seven caps playing for England’s Under-21s before he exceeded the age limit.
He played no part in Leicester’s relegation to the Championship last season after he was loaned to Watford, but he has returned to the side with 10 appearances under Enzo Maresca, and the Italian’s side are currently top of the table after winning 13 of 14 games.
It remains to be seen whether he could face a fine or even a ban for his comments, even after his apology and clarification, as Choudhury is left to sweat over the FA’s course of action.