Swiss Athlete Expelled From Olympics for 'Mongoloid' Twitter Post Against S.Koreans
A Swiss athlete has been expelled from the Olympics on Monday after posting an insulting tweet about South Koreans.
Swiss soccer player Michel Morganella had just lost 2-1 to South Korea in the Olympic soccer tournament on Sunday, and on Monday he posted the controversial message on the social media network.
"I punch you, South Koreans, go burn..." the Swiss soccer player said. He then went on to call South Koreans "Mongoloids."
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He was immediately expelled by his Swiss Olympic team who said he had "gravely insulted and violated" the dignity of South Korea.
"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," Swiss team chief Gian Gilli told reporters.
Gilli explained that the comments were a clear violation of the International Committee's and the Swiss team's ethics codes.
"As a consequence of this behavior Michel Morganella, having conferred with the Swiss Football Association, is immediately stripped of his Olympic accreditation and all future participation in the Olympic tournament. The Swiss team will now focus entirely on the next match. I wish the team inner peace and serenity," Gilli added.
"We would like to apologize, especially to the South Korea National Olympic Committee and the South Korea Football Association for the behavior of the player," he said. "We hope that he [Morganella] will draw the necessary lessons for his still young football career."
Soon after, the player came out to admit his error and issue his own apology: "I made a huge mistake after the disappointing result. I wish to apologize to the people in South Korea and their team, but also to the Swiss delegation and Swiss football in general. I obviously accept the consequences for my actions."
Morganella is the second player to be sent home from the Olympics already for racist tweets. Greek triple jumper Paraskevi Papachristou was expelled two days prior to the Olympics even beginning due to a racist tweet about African immigrants in Greece.
Switzerland will play Mexico in Group B on August 1.
