The recent saga involving Nigerian and Napoli striker, Victor Osimhen has swept away the Italian club’s social media executive, Alessio Fortino, who resigned from his position.
Fortino’s resignation comes days after a controversial video shared on the club’s official TikTok platform where the player was mocked for missing a penalty in a Serie A match against Bologna went viral.
A first video posted on the account showed the 24-year-old Osimhen appealing for a penalty, with an audio captioned “Gimme penalty please,” before showing him blazing the spot-kick wide of the post, while a second video compared Osimhen to a “coconut head”, which many widely viewed as having a racial slur.
The denigrating videos caused outrage, with Osimhen’s fans urging him to leave the club, citing disrespect and possible racism. Nigeria’s Minister of Sports Development, John Enoh, waded into the matter and promised to intervene to protect the player and other Nigerian athletes in any part of the world.
Following the backlash from the saga, Fortino threw in the towel, and confirmed the news via a post on his personal Instagram account on Monday after offering an apology that the TikTok videos were “never intended to offend or make fun of Osimhen.”
“Today, after 805 days, my professional adventure with SSC Naples ends. For many, this job would be comparable to a dream,” the post reads.
“For me, it was a simple daily reality: a reality built on commitment and fueled by the constant desire to learn and play.
“I cannot help but express my deepest gratitude to all the colleagues, collaborators, partners and supporters I’ve met along this long journey for making this experience so special.
“Leaving the company with a baggage of great memories and an excitement for the new adventures that lie ahead,” Fortino said.
Though the Serie A champions have not made an official comment on Fortino’s resignation, Italian sports media believes the circumstances surrounding his stepping down are not far from the Osimhen saga.