England’s Nigerian-born rugby captain, Maro Itoje has thrown his weight behind Real Madrid winger, Vinicius Junior, who was allegedly racially attacked during his side’s UEFA Champions League clash with Benfica of Portugal.
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Sports247 reports that the incident occurred two days after another Nigerian-born rugby star, Edwin Edogbo was also attacked racially while playing for Republic of Ireland, thereby creating more talking points for Itoje.
The Saracens’ player further criticised what he referred to as ‘corrosive’ effects of social media in response to the racial abuse faced by Vinicius and Edogbo, who was born and raised in County Cork by Nigerian parents.
Edogbo was targeted online after his appearance as a replacement in Saturday’s 20-13 Six Nations victory over Italy, prompting Ireland Rugby Football Union (IRFU) to launch an investigation.
Itoje stressed, “It’s very sad on two fronts. Social media has been a force for good in many ways, but it’s been a force for negativity in a lot of other ways.
“It’s really important for athletes, as well as ordinary people, not to live their life based on what social media says about them. It will just be a horrible way to live your life.
“I’d advise all top-level athletes not to spend too much time on social media because it’s really corrosive, both from the negativity that’s on there but also what it does to our brains.
“I think we’re going to see in the coming years a huge amount of damage that has been done to us as humans and as a society as a result of social media in terms of brains and brain development.”
