India, Nov. 14 -- Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Anthony Santander has issued a public apology after facing widespread criticism for sharing anti-Muslim content on social media, acknowledging that his posts caused offence and fell short of the values he believes in.

In a lengthy statement posted to Instagram on Friday, Santander admitted that he should have exercised greater care before sharing the controversial material. He also recognised the responsibility that comes with having a public platform and expressed regret for the impact his posts had on the Muslim community.

The 32-year-old Venezuelan baseball star stressed that everyone deserves equal dignity and respect, irrespective of their religious beliefs, cultural background or pers...