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Star striker Victor Oshimen could take legal against Serie A title holders Napoli after the club, which Oshimen plays for, posted a pair of TikTok’s mocking the star player.
Both videos have since been removed from the club’s official TikTok account. The first shows Oshimen seeming to ask for a penalty kick in an odd, sped-up voice, then mocking the player after he missed the kick.
The second was even more egregious, as it compared the Nigerian player to the appearance of a coconut.
Agent Of Victor Oshimen Threatens Legal Action Over Racist TikTok Videos
The club has not yet acknowledged the videos. But Oshimen’s agent Roberto Calenda has suggested that his player is considering legal action against his club – an extremely unusual circumstance.
Quanto accaduto oggi sul profilo ufficiale del Napoli sulla piattaforma TikTok non è accettabile. Un filmato che deride Victor è stato prima reso pubblico e poi, ma ormai tardivamente, cancellato. Un fatto grave che crea un danno serissimo al giocatore e si somma al trattamento…
— Roberto Calenda (@RobertoCalenda) September 26, 2023
“What happened today on Napoli’s official profile on the TikTok platform is not acceptable,” Calenda said on Twitter. “A video mocking Victor was first made public and then, but now belatedly, deleted.
“A serious fact that causes very serious damage to the player and adds to the treatment that the boy is suffering in the last period between media trials and fake news. We reserve the right to take legal action and any useful initiative to protect Victor.”
Oshimen joined Napoli from French club Lille in 2020 and has been nothing short of fantastic for the historic Italian club since. He’s scored 53 goals in 84 appearances, including 26 in 32 league appearances last season to lead Napoli to its first Serie A title in 33 years.
Sadly, it’s nothing new for the soccer world, especially in Europe.
Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr. called out Spanish fans last season after the Brazlian dealt with repeated racist abuse.
“It wasn’t the first time, or the second, or the third. Racism is normal in La Liga,” he posted on Instagram. “The competition thinks it’s normal, the [Spanish Football] Federation does too, and opponents encourage it.