Footballer Dele Alli handed one-match ban for controversial COVID-19 video

LONDON: Tottenham Hotspur footballer Dele Alli on Thursday was handed a one-match ban by the Football Association (FA) following his controversial coronavirus post on popular social media platform Snapchat.

The suspension means Alli won't be able to take part in Spurs' clash against Manchester United on Friday -- their first match of the Premier League season after COVID-19 stoppage.

The 24-year-old has been also fined 50,000 pounds by the disciplinary committee while he will also have to undertake FA's educational course.

According to the Daily Mail, Alli had posted a video showing a man of Asian descent with the caption: "Corona whatttttt, please listen with volume."

The video was immediately deleted but not before it was noticed by social media users and eventually the English football officials.

After being handed with the ban, Alli took to Twitter to express his relief that the FA disciplinary committee didn't perceive his actions to be racist.

"In response to the FA decision, I would like to apologise again for any offence caused by my behaviour. It was an extremely poorly judged joke about a virus that has now affected us more than we could ever have imagined," Alli wrote.

"I'm grateful that the FA has confirmed that my actions were not internationally racist because I despise racism of any kind. We all need to be mindful of the words and actions we use and how they can be perceived by others." IANS

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