Insulting Tweet Gets Swiss Player Expelled from London Olympics

Swiss soccer player Michel Morganella was expelled from the London Olympics on Monday. His team lost 2-1 to the Korean soccer team on Sunday.

 

The Swiss team said Morganella "gravely insulted and violated" the dignity of South Korea.    

 

[Gian Gilli, Swiss Olympic Chief]:      

"With his public tweet from this morning regarding the match yesterday against South Korea, Michel Morganella as a member of the Swiss Olympic team discriminated, insulted and violated the dignity of the South Korean football team and the South Korean people."

            

In the message for which he was expelled, with some syllables jumbled, Morganella said on Monday morning: "I punch you, South Koreans, go burn..." The rest of the message was considered sufficiently offensive by the Swiss team for Morganella to be sent home.   

           

Gilli, who only read out a statement in German and did not take any questions, said Morganella's comments were in direct violation of the International Olympic Committee's and the Swiss team's ethics codes.   

 

[Gian Gilli, Swiss Olympic Chief]:             

"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 player's tweet has been taken down, and Morganella issued an apology.  

            

The 23-year-old is the second athlete to be expelled over a racist Twitter comment.    

          

Greek triple jumper Paraskevi Papachristou was thrown out of her nation's team last week, two days before the start of the Games. 

             

The London Games are the first Olympics where social media are so widespread and the International Olympic Committee has urged athletes to tweet but always respecting the Games ethics code which all teams and athletes have signed.