A baby has become embroiled in an online race row after he was ‘blacked up’ to look like former Manchester City football player Mario Balotelli.
Chocolate was smeared over the child’s face and a washing-up sponge stuck on his head to copy the striker’s Mohawk hair.
A picture of the baby, who even sports the footballer’s slogan ‘Why Always Me?’, was then posted on the Internet sparking outrage last night. The photo was retweeted 2,000 times.
Jim C posted on Twitter: ‘You thought you’d seen it all. Dear me.’
While another said: ‘Parents tweeted ghastly picture of baby dressed as Mario Balotelli, this must be child abuse.’
Matt Bishop added: ‘Jesus wept, who does this to their child!?!?!?!?’
Parenting expert Sue Atkins, author of Parenting Made Easy: How To Raise Happy Children, told the Sunday Mirror: ‘Just looking at this picture makes me very uncomfortable, especially the fact the child is blacked up. I don’t like it at all.’
It is believed the photo was uploaded by a Manchester United fan on Instagram.
Balotelli, from Italy, left Manchester City to play for AC Milan after helping the club to win its first title in 44 years.
Last month a 10-year-old Leeds United fan caused outrage after he blacked up to pose with his hero El Hadji Diouf.
The child posted a series of pictures on his Twitter account provoking a backlash from users who said he was racist.
But the primary school child said he did not realise it would be offensive and did it as a tribute to his footballing hero.
The boy’s father was forced to take to his son’s Twitter account to defend him from accusations of racism.
He wrote: ‘I want to apologise if [my son] dressing up has caused offence.
The fan met his favourite player outside Elland Road ahead of his team’s home game against Bolton Wanderers on New Year’s Day.
He said Diouf and other Leeds players found the ‘costume’ – a blacked up face and head, Leeds kit and white mohican – funny.
As well as Diouf, the child posed with Leeds’ captain Lee Peltier and players Ryan Hall and Sam Byram.
The child also said midfielder Paul Green said to him: ‘How cool do you look?’
The fan posted pictures of him with Leeds United manager Neil Warnock, who he said found it funny, and police officers outside the ground.
The boy also got to meet his hero once more in the tunnel.
Ahead of the game he tweeted: ‘Theres only 2 El-Hadji Dioufs…this is how I’ve come dressed today.’
After the pictures were posted, Twitter users took to the social networking site accusing the child of racism.
Within hours the pictures had been seen by people across the world.
Leeds fan: The child was also pictured with Leeds captain Lee Peltier, left, and Ryan Hall, right
In January former Manchester United striker Ruud Van Nistelrooy ‘blacked up for a festival’ in Spain.
And last year Robbie Fowler tweeted a picture of himself made up like Lionel Richie.
Manchester City Football Club have so far declined to comment on the picture.
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