Jamie Vardy: Leicester City striker apologises for ‘racist slur’

Vardy has issued the following statement in response to the footage, per Ben Findon of the Daily Telegraph: “I wholeheartedly apologise for any offence I’ve caused”.

“It was a regrettable error in judgement I take full responsibility for and I accept my behaviour was not up to what’s expected of me”, he added. “There will be no further comment until this process has concluded”, the statement read.

He behaved like an absolute animal, it was appalling. “They rowed for a couple of minutes and then the other guy eventually walked off”.

The Sun on Sunday published a video allegedly showing Vardy abusing a fellow gambler in a casino and calling him “Jap” on three occasions.

Vardy is said to have shouted the words “Yo Jap, walk on” to an Asian punter. He looked shocked by what happened. “Yeah you… Jap. Walk on”.

“The club should investigate”.

Leicester were unavailable for comment when contacted by Press Association Sport on Sunday, but Kick It Out has already opened dialogue with the club.

Director Roisin Wood told the Sun on Sunday: “Footballers, no matter the level they play at, are role models on and off the field and their behaviour can impact millions of fans across the country”.

This is the latest in a line of unfortunate incidents for Leicester City who in June sacked the three players who had been accused of taking part in a racist sex film on a post-season tour to Thailand – including James Pearson, the son of the club’s former manager, Nigel Pearson.

Vardy, the 28-year-old who scored Leicester’s first goal of the season in their 4-2 victory over Sunderland yesterday, was pictured at a poker table in the early hours of July 26 shouting an insult at a man out of view of the camera. One of the other players then got Vardy in a neck lock, to stop him having a go.

The trio had featured in a sexually-explicit video during which racist language was used and had their contracts terminated following an internal investigation.