Therese Sta. MariaSometimes, when our tempers get the best of us, the most deplorable things come out of our mouths. Olympians are no exception to this type of outburst. Italy’s tennis player, Fabio Fognini, has become notorious for this behaviour. In 2017, he was kicked out of the doubles tournament in the U.S. Open after swearing at the chair umpire during his loss in the first round. Fognini was then handed a suspended ban in two Grand Slam tournaments.
Now, he’s done it again in the Tokyo Olympics 2020.
Image credit: Fabio Fognini Official Facebook Page
Fognini reportedly used an Italian homophobic slur repeatedly as he suffered a three-set loss defeat to Russian player Daniil Medvedev. He didn’t direct it at his opponent. He was allegedly swearing at himself instead. So he wasn’t exactly disqualified; but it looks like the officials and the people who witnessed the game in person flagged Fognini for it.
In response, Fabio Fognini wrote his public apology on his Instagram story and used the rainbow background. He tried to explain that the heat got to him as he contextualised his outburst. The apology translates to: “The heat goes to the head! In today’s match I used a really stupid expression towards myself. Of course, I didn’t want to offend anyone’s sensitivity. I love the LGBTQ community and I apologise for the nonsense that came out of me. Now I’m going to bed because it’s night in Tokyo. Hugs.”
Image credit: Fabio Fognini Instagram Page
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Aside from the vulgar language, he was seen repeatedly slamming his racket on the ground when he lost. Fabio Fognini even went as far as to throw his racket in the trash can after the final point. A bit scary but keep in mind that Italians are known for their… passionate reactions. The homophobic slur is inexcusable, but perhaps the physical tantrum isn’t new for Italians!
Featured image credit: Fabio Fognini | Official Facebook Page
