'Offensive' Secret Santa gift kept him 'up all night'

1 year ago 80

Italian planetary rugby subordinate Cherif Traore has revealed helium was the recipient of a racist Secret Santa acquisition by his Benetton teammates.

Taking to societal media to item the experience, Traore said helium received a rotten banana astatine the end-of-year celebrations.

The Guinea-born subordinate moved to Italy erstwhile helium was 7 years aged and began representing the state astatine Test level successful 2018.

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Traore said helium was utilized to specified acts but was taken aback erstwhile his teammates laughed astatine him.

"Christmas is coming and arsenic is accepted successful a team, it's Secret Santa time," helium wrote.

"A affable and playful moment. A infinitesimal wherever you tin springiness anonymous gifts to your mates, adjacent ironic ones.

"Yesterday, erstwhile it was my turn, I recovered a banana wrong my present. A rotten banana, wrong a bedewed bag.

"Apart from calling the motion offensive, what wounded maine astir and seeing astir of my mates contiguous laughing. As if everything is normal.

"I'm utilized to it, oregon I've had to get utilized to it, having to enactment a brave look connected whenever I perceive racist jokes successful bid to effort not to hatred the radical adjacent to me. Yesterday was antithetic though.

"Thankfully, immoderate friends, particularly foreigners, tried to enactment me. Outside Italy a motion similar this is severely condemned.

"I've been up each night. Young guys from antithetic backgrounds attended this Secret Santa.

"I person decided not to stay soundless this clip to guarantee that episodes similar this don't hap again to forestall different radical uncovering themselves successful my existent concern successful the future."

Traore said helium hoped the sender would "learn a lesson" from it.

However, portion the enactment was condemned by his Benetton team, thing has been said by the nine astir an probe nor immoderate disciplinary action.

"Benetton would similar to reiterate that it has ever condemned with the utmost firmness immoderate look of racism and/or signifier of discrimination. That is not portion of our civilization and does not correspond our individuality and our values," a connection work successful part.

"We person ever proved it with deeds, not conscionable with words. Similar behaviours person thing to bash with athletics and successful the look of episodes similar this Benetton volition ever beryllium connected the broadside of respecting people, their culture, their ethnicity, their religion and their dignity."

Benetton said the full squad had been summoned aft the incident, fronted by nine president Amerino Zatta and the wide manager Antonio Pavanello.

The nine said Traore had accepted the apology of his teammates.

Exactly who was down the Secret Santa acquisition has not been revealed.

Irish planetary Simon Zebo responded to connected societal media, calling for the "scumbag" offender to beryllium named and "out of a job".

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