Rhasidat Adeleke’s coach says athlete was 'in pain' due to recent social media abuse
Rhasidat Adeleke at the European Athletics Championships in Rome this week.
IRISH ATHLETICS STAR Rhasidat Adeleke was in a “dark place” and “in pain” due to racist abuse posted about her online, her coach has revealed.
Adeleke enjoyed a medal-laden turn at the European Championships in Rome, picking up gold in the mixed 4x400m relay, silver in the women’s 4x400m relay, and individual silver in the 400m.
It was a record medal haul for the Irish at the European Athletics Championships and bodes well for the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris.
However, Adeleke’s coach Edrick Floréal said the 21-year-old was “pain” in recent weeks due to online abuse she came across in the aftermath of her performances with Ireland at the World Athletics Relay in the Bahamas last month.
Speaking to Q102′s Weekend Sports Breakfast, Floréal said Adeleke was in “the most pain I’ve ever seen her have” as a result.
“There was some negative stuff said on [social] media, and it really affected her, that her own people said negative things about her being an Irish woman or not.”
He added that Adeleke was “in a dark place when she read those things on the internet”.
“She doesn’t cry, ever, so when she cries it’s like ‘Oh my God’,” said Floréal.
“So that bothered her more than I ever thought, and I just let her handle it.
“I told her this is part of the deal. Being who you are and attracting the attention you’re attracting, that is part of the deal.
“It comes with the territory, you can’t have one without the other and you’re going to have to accept it for what it is.”
Floréal added that it was “probably the worst that I have seen her as far as really feeling down on herself because of those things that were said on the internet”.
Finance Minister Michael McGrath today remarked that Adeleke “needs to hear loud and clear that these racists are a tiny minority in Ireland” and that they “represent no one only themselves”.
“She is an extraordinarily talented and gifted athlete,” added McGrath, “and more importantly an inspirational role model to girls and boys here.”