A Tranmere Rovers player has defended ‘blacking up’ at the club’s Christmas party.
James Norwood posted a photo of himself dressed covered in black face paint with the caption “great Xmas do with the boys.. level – fancy dress – completed.”
But the snap sparked an intense backlash on social media which prompted the striker to delete the original post and set his Instagram account to private.
Norwood hit back at a Twitter user who claimed that the outfit he chose to wear for the Wirral club’s festive get together was racist.
“Whats racist about it pal? Seen plenty of (Chris) Kamara, Mr T and a couple of Hollywood films do it”, he wrote.
In a follow-up tweet, the 26-year-old added: “You mean impersonating a character? Not a stereotype. Fancy dress is to become someone you’re not. I did that.”
The non-league forward’s actions have been condemned by football’s anti-racism body Kick It Out, who claim the act was ‘out of date’ in modern society.
“Although it is likely it was a well-intended fancy dress for a Christmas party, it is ill-thought-out and something that is out-of-date in today’s modern world,” a spokesman told the Liverpool Echo.
“Even well-intended acts may cause offence and that’s something players have to appreciate and consider.”