Father apologises after football fan son, 10, is engulfed in Twitter race storm for blacking up his face to look like his favourite player El Hadji Diouf
- Leeds fan posted pictures of himself with El Hadji Diouf on Twitter
- Pictured with a blacked up face and white mohican to look like his hero
- Posed with Diouf and other Leeds players and manager Neil Warnock
- Caused backlash on Twitter with users accusing the child of being racist
- Child's father had to take to social networking site to defend his son
By BECKY EVANSPUBLISHED: 20:06 GMT, 2 January 2013 | UPDATED: 16:42 GMT, 3 January 2013
A ten-year-old Leeds United fan has become embroiled in an online race row 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.
Smiling: The super fan poses with his hero El Hadji Diouf
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.
'He asked to dress up as Diouf so we let him for a bit of fun. We completely underestimated the response it would get. Hes only 10 and likes the banter so lay off please thanks for positive comments'.
Hero: The child posed with El Hadji Diouf again in the tunnel at Elland RoadThe 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 also 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 also 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 and are still on the boy's site. One user called @JacobKing7 wrote: 'This is a touching photo mixed with a touch of racism'.
Leeds fan: The child was also pictured with Leeds captain Lee Peltier, left, and Ryan Hall, right
Manager Neil Warnock also stopped for a picture with the fanSome questioned why a child was allowed to wear black make-up in the first place, with others saying the picture made them uncomfortable. However, many people defended the child. Norwich City footballer Robert Snodgrass wrote: 'Can't a kid dress up as one of his favourite players these days without people moaning. We were kids once.'Others joked that 'miniDiouf' should be signed up by the club. The child also later took to the social networking site to defend himself and said he is not racist.He wrote on his account: 'Some pl on here think im racist for going todays game fancy dress loke diouf he loves it all the players do loads of fand been taking pics.'He also said 'its a bit of fun' and claimed the footballer wanted the picture on his phone and took one himself. The super fan said he even shaved his head to look more like his hero and 'loves Leeds'. He said: 'Im a big leeds fan and love diouf.'He added: 'I didnt realise i wud get this much attention thanks for your comments but im gonna watch rest of match now'. He ended the conversation by saying: 'Just to let u know that the makeup and hairstuff i was wearing was from a fancy dress shop and washed straight off am now in my pjs.'
The child said he was also stopped by other fans for a photograph, left, and also had a picture with police outside the ground
If I were to go get a suntan, will that now be considered racist?
