A footballer who made an "insensitive" handcuffs gesture to show support for a friend jailed following the deaths of two children has been fined by his club.
Ipswich Town said it was concerned that midfielder David Norris's celebration after scoring a goal had been interpreted as a tribute his friend, former Plymouth Argyle goalkeeper Luke McCormick.
Club officials said Norris, 27, from Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, had written a letter of "regret" to the boys' parents and the club would make a donation to charity.
Amanda Peak, the mother of Arron, 10, and Ben, eight, said she was happy with the apology and thought Ipswich's response appropriate.
The boys were travelling in a Toyota Previa people carrier hit by McCormick's Range Rover on the M6 near Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, in June.
Mr Norris may also face action from soccer's governing body, the Football Association, which said it wanted a written explanation within the next week.
Mr Norris held his wrists high after scoring in Ipswich's 1-0 win at Blackpool on Saturday. He made the gesture two weeks after telling journalists that he would stand by former teammate McCormick - who is serving a seven-year jail term for causing the deaths of the youngsters.
An Ipswich Town spokesman said: "Whilst the club has heard David's explanation that his gesture was in no way intended to condone or support the actions of Luke McCormick, he was found to have been insensitive to the possible interpretation. David deeply regrets that his actions have been wrongly misinterpreted."
But Mrs Peak, of Partington, Manchester, said: "That is all we wanted, a letter to say he is sorry and he's shown he's got a heart and it wasn't intended to hurt anyone but obviously it did.
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"All we asked for was an apology. I said either ban him for a game or fine him, but don't do both, people make these gestures, but it's not right to ban and fine him. It was something private between him and Luke but private should stay private, it should not be in public."
