This is the awkward moment BBC News presenter Mike Bushell reported on Premier League footballer accused of rape this morning while image of Raheem Sterling was wrongly displayed in the background.
BBC News had to issue an on-air apology after incorrectly showing the photo of the Chelsea player when reporting a different unnamed player had been arrested for alleged sexual offences.
During this morning's sports bulletin on the BBC News channel today, July 14, an image of Chelsea player Raheem Sterling, believed to have been used on an earlier unrelated story about his recent club transfer, was shown behind sports presenter Mike Bushell while he updated viewers on the arrest.
Later, another presenter apologised for the error, saying it was down to a 'technical error'.
They emphasised that 27-year-old England winger Sterling is 'wholly unconnected' to the allegations.
At the opening of the channel's 11am news segment, they said: 'In our sports bulletin earlier, owing to a technical error the wrong picture appeared in connection with a story of a Premier League player arrested over alleged sexual offences.
'A picture of a different and wholly unconnected player was shown. We apologise for that mistake.'
The BBC said the apology would be repeated in the next sports bulletin on the channel.
The report was in reference to a player, who has not been named, who was arrested in Barnet, north London, on July 4 over rape allegations against a woman in her 20s in June.
He was further arrested while in custody over allegations of raping a different woman in April and June 2021.
The 29-year-old footballer denies the allegations and has been bailed until August.
On Wednesday, a Premier League club, which has also not been named, confirmed it is not currently taking action against the unnamed player.
PlayerChel
13
It wasn't a mistake just BBC being messy and thinking all black ppl look the same. foh