Swiss Soccer Player Kicked Out of Olympics for Tweet

Another athlete has been sent home from the Summer Olympics after making offensive Twitter comments.

The Swiss Olympic delegation released a statement on Monday regarding the expulsion of Michel Morganella, a soccer player, for making disgraceful remarks about South Korean team. Michel Morganella made these remarks after the Swiss team was defeated by the South Korean team by 2-1, on Sunday.

Morganella was told to immediately go back home after the Swiss delegation found his tweet insulting and threatening in which he said that South Koreans “can go burn” and called them a “bunch of mongoloids”. Gian Gilli, the head of Swiss delegation, said in a press conference that his tweet “discriminated against, insulted and violated the dignity of the South Korea football team as well as the South Korean people.” He also condemned these comments and said they are in direct violation of the code of conduct given in the Olympic Charter.

In a separate statement, the 23-year old soccer player said that “I am sincerely sorry for the people of South Korea, for the players, but equally for the Swiss delegation and Swiss football in general. It’s clear that I’m accepting the consequences.”

Just a week ago, a Greek triple jumper was told to pack his bags and was kicked off the team for posting a disparaging comment on the microblogging site Twitter about African migrants in Greece. The athlete, Paraskevi Papahristou tweeted on July 22.

These types of issues showmthe growing tension around the use of social media by sports players. United States Olympic Committee has already made the code of conduct, while the International Olympic Committee has told the players that “posting, blogs and tweets 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.”