Wednesday August 1, 2012
SEOUL: South Korean netizens have expressed sympathy for Swiss footballer Michel Morganella, after he was sent home for racially abusing South Korea’s players on Twitter.
Morganella had directed an offensive jibe at the players after Switzerland’s 2-1 defeat to the Asian side on Sunday.
“Michel Morganella has discriminated against, insulted and violated the dignity of the South Korean football team, as well as the South Korean people,” Switzerland Olympic team chef de mission Gian Gilli said on Monday.
“While the committee felt that Michel had been provoked on his Twitter account and that he has publicly apologised, the Swiss Olympic Committee and Swiss FA condemn Morganella’s actions to the fullest.”
In a post on Twitter that was later deleted, Morganella wrote: “I am going to batter the Koreans, burn them all ... bunch of ‘trisos’.”
‘Trisos’ is a French slang word for people born with Down’s Syndrome.
However, many South Korean Internet users said the player had been sorely provoked by Korean comments on social media.
Morganella is the second athlete kicked off a London Olympics team for offensive Twitter comments, following Greek triple jumper Voula Papachristou. — Agencies