11/30/2020 8:21 PM
Clarín.com
Live
Updated 11/30/2020 8:36 PM
It was a very intense morning for Los Pumas in Australia.
The players, concentrated for the last match for the Three Nations, on Saturday against Australia, were involved in a scandal after old discriminatory posts on Twitter by some of them came to light.
Among them its captain, Pablo Matera, who decided to close his account on the social network.
Later he, Santiago Sonego, and Guido Petti apologized in a post on Instagram.
Matera spoke specifically of the "atrocities" he had written and argued: "I did not imagine who I was going to become."
The first controversy had started on Saturday, when Los Pumas took to the field to face the All Blacks, more than two days after the death of Diego Maradona, and they only remembered Ten with a black ribbon that was barely visible on his arms of the players.
People's criticism rained down, expecting a greater tribute.
The Argentine players apologized early this Monday for that tepid gesture and assured that as a team they wanted to "continue Diego's legacy."
The criticism, however, did not stop.
On the contrary, they grew.
Because in response to the words of Pablo Matera, who spoke from Sydney on behalf of the entire group, some Twitter users brought to light old tweets with messages of racist content that the captain himself and other players -
Guido Petti
and
Santiago Socino
- wrote to their accounts several years ago.
Tweet by Pablo Matera published on April 24, 2012.
The controversial messages of the members of the Argentine national team, who at the time of writing were between 18 and 20 years old, generated the anger and indignation of many people, who once again charged against the players and the Argentine Rugby Union with more strength.
Matera, Petti and Socino deleted their accounts on that social network - Socino's is still active - but the captures of the tweets that they had shared between 2011 and 2013 continued to circulate and went viral.
To the point that the name of Matera became the number one trend in Argentina.
Many began to ask the UAR to sanction the players.
Clarín tried to communicate with the leaders of that organization, although he still did not receive a response.
The three players who were in the eye of the storm did not comment on it either.
Matera responded in the afternoon with a post in which he claimed to feel "very ashamed", among other things.
"Apologies to all those who were offended by the atrocities I wrote," he offered.
And he added: "Today I have to take charge of what I said 9 years ago. I'm also sorry to my team and my family for the moment they are going through my actions and thanks to the people who love me for their support."
Sonego expressed himself along the same lines.
He claimed to feel "sorry and ashamed" for his messages and said he repudiated them "absolutely".
his self-criticism went further: "I do not seek to justify it with the immaturity with which I handled myself."
Sonego also apologized on Instagram.
Petti also declared himself "saddened and ashamed" and said: "Without the intention of justifying it for the eight years that passed, those messages, which I completely reject today, do not represent at all the person I am today."
Petti's offer of apology.
From the
Tutelary Public Ministry
- an organism of the Judicial Power whose mission is to control the legality of the procedures, the promotion of access to justice, and the respect, protection, promotion and satisfaction of the rights and guarantees of girls , children and adolescents and people who use mental health services - Matera was also strongly criticized.
"It is in clubs and in sports where girls and boys often tell about the violence they are suffering. The clubs also work on inclusion and equality before the law, they work to guarantee and protect rights. That is why the statements of this person
(NdR: In reference to Matera)
, who represents us worldwide through the team of which he is captain, are also nefarious, discriminatory, incite hatred and must be sanctioned. Because through his place, he must transmit values and under no point of view these values can be these ”, commented Dr.
Yael Bendel
, General Guardian Advisor.
The Pumas were enjoying a very positive year in terms of results.
Beyond the 38-0 defeat in the last game against the All Blacks, they had reaped in their first appearances at the 2020 Three Nations the first victory in history against the New Zealanders and a creditable draw with Australia.
That good moment was first overshadowed by the lukewarm homage to Maradona;
but especially now with the viralization of these messages that were repudiated by many fans of rugby and sports in general.
Some of the controversial tweets
Petti tweet from January 24, 2013.
Petti's tweet from December 5, 2012.
Matera tweet from May 3, 2012.
Matera tweet from May 30, 2012.
Tweet posted by Santiago Socino on November 1, 2012.
Socino Tweet from September 1, 2012.
Tweet posted by Socino on November 22, 2011.
News in development
