Swiss Athlete Expelled From Olympics For Racist Tweet

Another Olympian has been sent home from the London Games because of his inability to control his thumbs. Swiss soccer player Michel Morganella was dismissed from the Olympics on Monday as the result ...
Swiss Athlete Expelled From Olympics For Racist Tweet
Written by Josh Wolford
  • Another Olympian has been sent home from the London Games because of his inability to control his thumbs.

    Swiss soccer player Michel Morganella was dismissed from the Olympics on Monday as the result of a tweet he posted after his team suffered defeat at the hands of the South Koreans.

    Reuters reports that the offensive tweet, which was deemed racist and highly offensive began “I punch you, South Koreans, go burn…” Another report claims that the tweet referred to the Korean players as “a bunch of mentally handicapped retards.”

    “Je les tous Defonce Coréens, allez vous tous Bruler, bande de trisos!” he reportedly tweeted.

    Morganella’s account has been deactivated, but Le Matin grabbed a screencap of another tweet directed toward the South Koreans before that could happen:

    In a statement, head of the Swiss Olympic team Gian Gilli said that,

    “As a member of the Swiss Olympic mission he gravely discriminated, insulted and violated the dignity of the South Korean football team and the South Korean people.”

    Morganella has officially lost all of his Olympic accreditation and will not compete in any more of the 2012 London Games.

    The official social media guidelines put out by the International Olympic Committee state that all tweets, Facebook posts, blog posts, etc. “should at all times conform to the Olympic spirit and fundamental principles of Olympism as contained in the Olympic Charter, be dignified and in good taste, and not contain vulgar or obscene words or images.”

    I think we can agree the Morganella’s tweet was outside the realm of good taste.

    Twitter is a minefield for public figures, especially athletes – and these Olympics are showing it. Before the Games even began, Greek triple-jumper Voula Papachristou was banned from participating thanks to a racist tweet of her own.

    “With so many Africans in Greece … at least the West Nile mosquitos will eat homemade food!!!” she tweeted.

    Although Papachristou has claimed that her punishment was a little too severe, Morganella has apologized and said that he accepts the consequences of his tweet.

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