Breitbart apologises to Lukas Podolski for wrong usage of his image alongside an illegal immigration story

Berlin: Lukas Podolski has received an apology from ultra-conservative news website Breitbart, who used an image of the ex-Germany international alongside a story about illegal immigration, with the striker threatening legal action. The website originally published an article entitled “Spanish Police Crack Gang Moving Migrants on Jet-Skis” with a picture of the ex-Arsenal star on a jet-ski before it was swiftly changed. [caption id=“attachment_3957059” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Germany’s Lukas Podolski. Reuters[/caption] The picture showed Podolski on a jet ski which was taken at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil where the German team were enjoying a day off. The 32-year-old Podolski, who now plays for Japanese side Vissel Kobe and made his final international appearance in March, has been in touch with his lawyer. “It’s a mess. Lukas distances himself from it and won’t let himself be exploited,” Podolski’s manager Nassim Touihri told German daily Bild. “Our lawyer is already involved.” The wrongly-used picture was shared widely on social media before the website amended the article. “A previous version of this story included an image of Lukas Podolski on a jet ski,” read an Editor’s Note. “This image appeared as an illustration of a person on a jet ski.” “Breitbart London wishes to apologise to Mr. Podolski.” “There is no evidence Mr Podolski is either a migrant gang member, nor being human trafficked.” “We wish Mr Podolski well in his recently announced international retirement.”