Victor Osimhen of SSC Napoli gestures during the Serie A Tim match between Bologna FC and SSC Napoli at Stadio Renato Dall'Ara on September 24, 2023 in Bologna, Italy.
Victor Osimhen of SSC Napoli gestures during the Serie A Tim match between Bologna FC and SSC Napoli at Stadio Renato Dall'Ara on September 24, 2023 in Bologna, Italy.
Photo by Giuseppe Maffia/NurPhoto via Getty Images.

Napoli Star Victor Osimhen Contemplates Legal Action Over TikTok Mockery

Victor Osimhen is contemplating legal action over TikTok mockery amidst Serie A triumph, igniting outrage and uncertainty in the football world.

Napoli's star striker,Victor Osimhen, has stated that he is considering legal action against his own club after a peculiar video was posted on TikTok, seemingly making fun of him.

The strange video incident occurred shortly after Osimhen played a pivotal role in securing Napoli's first league title in three decades. During a recent match against Bologna, Osimhen, along with other Napoli players, appealed for a penalty when a Bologna defender handled the ball in the penalty area while Osimhen was poised to score. The referee awarded the penalty, but Osimhen missed the shot from 12 yards, leading to a goalless draw and the loss of two valuable points for the Serie A champions.

A late-game confrontation between Osimhen and head coach Rudi Garcia made headlines, but the TikTok video blunder by Napoli is now overshadowing the incident.

Although Osimhen has since apologized for his outburst, concerns linger about the ongoing tension. At present, Osimhen has removed nearly all Napoli-related images from his Instagram account, and his future actions remain uncertain.

The strained relationship between the player and the club dates back to the summer, marked by uncertainties regarding Osimhen's contract extension.

Roberto Calenda, Osimhen's agent, expressed his discontent, stating, "What happened today on Napoli's official TikTok profile is unacceptable. A video mocking Victor was initially made public and, though belatedly, has now been deleted. This serious incident has caused significant harm to the player and exacerbates the challenges he has faced recently, including media trials and fake news."

Calenda added, "We reserve the right to take legal action and pursue any necessary measures to protect Victor."

Despite Osimhen's remarkable contributions, with 31 goals across all competitions for Napoli, the player became the target of a now-deleted video posted on the club's official TikTok account. Osimhen and his management are demanding an apology from the Italian champions and a clear disavowal of the social media post.

The video in question featured a high-pitched voice in the background exclaiming, "gimme penalty please," while mocking Osimhen for his missed penalty against Bologna. Another video compared the striker to a coconut.

The incident has drawn widespread criticism on social media, particularly among Nigerians, who found the official account's actions condescending. Despite the outrage, the post remained online for over a day and has been widely shared, particularly on X (formerly Twitter).

Osimhen had been a frontrunner for a prestigious African award later this year, given his instrumental role in Napoli's Serie A title win and their historic quarter-finals appearance in the UEFA Champions League.

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