What did Fabio Fognini say?
TENNIS player Fabio Fognini was criticized following comments he said to himself during an Olympic tennis match on Wednesday, July 28.
The Italian athlete has won multiple titles in his career.
What did Fabio Fognini say?
The fiery Italian went down 6-2 3-6 6-2 to the world’s No. 2 Daniil Medvedev in the men’s singles at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
And throughout the third-round match, Fognini repeatedly berated himself as a “frocio” – an anti-gay term in Italian.
He also repeatedly slammed his racket on the ground and later put it in a garbage can.
Fognini later apologized for the incident on social media.
What did Fognini’s apology say?
The 34-year-old, 31st in the ATP tennis rankings, took to social media to say sorry.
He wrote on Instagram: “The heat went to my head.
“In today’s match I used a really stupid expression towards myself.
“Obviously I didn’t want to offend anyone’s sensibilities.
“I love the LGBT community and I apologize for the nonsense that came out of me.”
What happened in Fognini’s past?
Fognini is no stranger to controversy.
In 2017, he was booted out of the US Open for insulting an umpire.
Two years later, the former world No. 9 wished a “bomb would explode” at Wimbledon. He also got into spat with British tennis star Andy Murray.
And just three months ago, Fognini was defaulted from the Barcelona Open – again for verbal abuse.
What comments did Fognini’s opponent make during the match?
Medvedev was also in the eye of a storm after his comments following the win.
He needed two medical time-outs in the intense temperatures and humidity in Tokyo.
The Russian claimed he could have died in the conditions.
Medvedev said: “I can finish the match, but I can die. If I die, who will take responsibility?”
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He also blasted a journalist for suggesting the Russian Olympic Committee team are “carrying a stigma of cheaters” at the Games.
The Australian Open runner-up raged: “I think you should [remove] him from either the Olympic Games, either the tennis tournament.
“I don’t wanna see him again in my interviews. Thanks.”