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Mario Balotelli ‘proves’ he is sick after being called ‘pathetic’ by Robby Savage

By Tim Mack

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Mario Balotelli, striker for the Liverpool Football Club, took to his Instagram account in an attempt to clear his name after missing an FA Cup Quarter-final game due to illness.

Mario Balotelli did not participate in Liverpool’s FA Cup Quarter-final game Wednesday against Blackburn. Liverpool still managed to win the game but some people were still unhappy with Balotelli’s absence.

For example, soccer commentator Robby Savage had this to say when asked about Balotelli’s absence: “I don’t know how unwell he is, but to miss an FA Cup quarter-final when you’re feeling a bit ill? Nonsense. I would have to be really, really ill to miss that game.”

Balotelli responded by posting a selfie to Instagram that included a thermometer which displayed 38.7 degrees Celsius, which is about 101.7 degrees Fahrenheit. The temperature certainly classifies as a fever which would be a viable excuse to not participate in a game of soccer. Anyone who has had a fever knows it is difficult to get out of bed let alone run up and down a soccer field for ninety minutes.


While a fever is a serious illness, simply posting a picture of a thermometer is not enough credible proof. There have been countless instances of children putting thermometers underneath hot running water or near light bulbs just to get out of a day of school. Could Balotelli be doing the same here? I would hope a professional athlete would not resort to kindergarten tactics just to get out of a game but stranger things have happened.

Not every athlete calls off work when they get sick. Curt Schilling won game 6 of the 2004 American League Championship Series on an injured ankle, Tiger Woods won the 2008 Masters on a broken leg and missing ligaments in his knee, and Michael Jordan led the Bulls to a victory over the Utah Jazz while sick with the flu.

The problem is that sickness affects everyone in different ways. While some athletes may be able to push themselves through sickness and pain, others may not. Maybe if Mario played it would have triggered his illness and caused him some type of permanent damage or more dangerous sickness. There is no point in risking one’s health for just one game because if it does not work out they may end up missing weeks or months instead. Balotelli made the smart choice to not risk his health for one game of soccer.

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