Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Anthony Santander has issued a formal apology after sharing Islamophobic content on his Instagram account.
The controversy emerged following the election of “Abdul El-Sayed to the U.S. Senate”, according to reporting from USA Today.
The 32-year-old athlete published a statement to his social media stories on Friday, Nov. 13, acknowledging the harm caused by his actions, “as reported by Yahoo Sports.”
In his statement, the outfielder admitted he failed to exercise proper judgment while using his platform.
He noted that after taking time to reflect and speaking with trusted individuals, he recognized he should have been more thoughtful about his public communications, “as stated by Santander on Instagram.”
The player expressed regret for the impact of his posts, stating, “I realize that this content caused hurt and I sincerely apologize.”
Santander further emphasized that the shared content did not align with his personal values or his faith.
He explained that he believes every person deserves dignity and respect regardless of their religious background or beliefs, “per the athlete’s official social media statement.”
The outfielder vowed to be more careful with his future online presence to ensure his actions do not promote hate or discrimination.
He concluded his apology by affirming his support for the Muslim community and the fundamental rights of individuals from all backgrounds, “according to the Yahoo Sports report.”
The incident has drawn significant attention to the responsibilities held by professional athletes when utilizing public voices on social media platforms, “as noted by the Toronto Blue Jays organization context.”