Manchester City defender Kyle Walker faces disciplinary action from the Premier League champions after tabloid the Sun said he breached Britain's lockdown rules by hosting a party during the coronavirus pandemic.
RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT VIDEO SHOWS: FILE FOOTAGE OF KYLE WALKER CELEBRATING WITH THE PREMIER LEAGUE TROPHY, FILE FOOTAGE OF KYLE WALKER TRAINING WITH MANCHESTER CITY AND ENGLAND, RECENT VIDEO ON KYLE WALKER'S INSTAGRAM PAGE, TWO STILL PHOTOGRAPHS OF WALKER, FILE AND RECENT FOOTAGE OF MANCHESTER CITY'S ETIHAD STADIUM SHOWS: MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FILE - MAY 12, 2019) (CITY TV - ACCESS ALL) 1.
MANCHESTER CITY DEFENDER, KYLE WALKER HOLDING THE PREMIER LEAGUE TROPHY AS THE TEAM CELEBRATE WINNING THE 2019/20 LEAGUE TITLE 2.
MANCHESTER CITY CELEBRATING AFTER WINNING THE 2019/20 PREMIER LEAGUE TITLE LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FILE - APRIL 8, 2019) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 3.
KYLE WALKER STRETCHING DURING TRAINING MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FILE - SEPTEMBER 18, 2018) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 4.
WALKER AT TRAINING LJUBLJANA, SLOVENIA (FILE - OCTOBER 10, 2016) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 5.
KYLE WALKER LEADS OUT OTHER ENGLAND PLAYERS DANNY ROSE, DELI ALLI, DANIEL STURRIDGE AND JOHN STONES TO EXAMINE PITCH UNKNOWN LOCATION, UNITED KINGDOM (MARCH 28, 2020) (INSTAGRAM/KYLEWALKER2 - NO RESALES.
MUST ON-SCREEN COURTESY INSTAGRAM/KYLEWALKER2) 6.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) MANCHESTER CITY AND ENGLAND DEFENDER, KYLE WALKER, SAYING: "Hope everyone is well.
Don't forget to stay at home, protect the NHS and save lives." MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FILE - JANUARY 7, 2020) (REUTERS PICTURES - ACCESS ALL) (MUTE) 7.
STILL PHOTOGRAPH OF WALKER CELEBRATING AFTER MANCHESTER CITY'S WIN AGAINST MANCHESTER UNITED IN THE LEAGUE CUP LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FILE - DECEMBER 15, 2019) (ACTION IMAGES - ACCESS ALL) (MUTE) 8.
STILL PHOTOGRAPH OF WALKER CELEBRATING AFTER MANCHESTER CITY'S WIN AGAINST ARSENAL IN THE PREMIER LEAGUE MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FILE - OCTOBER 20, 2018) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 9.
VARIOUS EXTERIORS OF MANCHESTER CITY'S ETIHAD STADIUM MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, UK (FILE - FEBRUARY 19, 2020) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 10.
ETIHAD STADIUM SIGN ON EXTERIOR OF MANCHESTER CITY STADIUM WITH TREE IN FOREGROUND 11.
VARIOUS EXTERIORS OF STADIUM STORY: Manchester City defender Kyle Walker faces disciplinary action from the Premier League champions after tabloid the Sun said he breached Britain's lockdown rules by hosting a party during the coronavirus pandemic.
The Sun said England international Walker, 29, had also invited two call girls to the party at his Cheshire home last week, shortly before he had urged people on Twitter to follow government guidelines on social distancing.
Walker apologised for his actions in a statement to the newspaper on Sunday (April 5), saying he had let down his family, friends, club, supporters and the public.
"Manchester City FC are aware of a story in a tabloid newspaper regarding the private life of Kyle Walker in relation to a breach of the UK lockdown and social distancing rules," City said in a statement released to British media.
"Footballers are global role models, and our staff and players have been working to support the incredible efforts of the National Health Service and other key workers in fighting the effects of the COVID-19 coronavirus, in any way we can.
"Kyle's actions in this matter have directly contravened these efforts.
We are disappointed to hear the allegations, note Kyle's swift statement and apology, and will be conducting an internal disciplinary procedure in the coming days." Global virus infections exceed a million, with more than 65,000 deaths, a Reuters tally showed.
(Production: Tim Hart)
KCFD: "We are going to do our very best."
