Dave Kitson has apologised for using "clumsy language" when assessing the racial abuse suffered by Raheem Sterling at Chelsea back in 2018.
Kitson, who has put himself forward as a candidate to take over from Gordon Taylor as head of the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA), suggested Sterling "antagonised" people with his showy posts on social media during an interview with Talksport two years ago.
Players past and present have spoken out against Kitson's candidacy for the PFA role in recent days, pointing to this suggestion that Sterling somehow invited the abuse and made himself a target for online trolls.
But Kitson has insisted he in no way condoned the abuse suffered by Sterling.
He told The Mirror: "I'd looked down Raheem's social media feed and that, while in the beginning it was about his cars and houses, I was pleased to see he had changed it, because there is a lot of jealousy out there, and I knew what it was like to have been on the end of unwarranted abuse.
"I said that it gave people a reason to dislike him as a person.
"Not that he had done anything wrong on his social media account but it gave certain people a platform to vent their ill-informed, ugly views.
"But I'm distressed that this has somehow morphed into a suggestion I condoned the shocking abuse Raheem suffered or that he otherwise asked for it. Nothing could be further from the truth.
"Perhaps I used clumsy language and for that I apologise.
"But I never have and never will condone any form of racism.
"I admire Raheem for taking up the fight and saying: 'No, I'm not having this.' And I agree with him.
"More needs to be done. And I'm prepared to do it."
