Leon Reid: 'There were people pretty much wanting to fight me in the call room after Ireland switch'

Leon Reid at the launch of the new Olympic Federation of Ireland campaign, ‘Don’t Scroll By’, asking the public to adopt a zero-tolerance approach and report any abuse witnessed. Picture: Dan Sheridan

Leon Reid copped all sorts of abuse when he opted to run for Ireland rather than Great Britain.

The all-too-familiar dregs of social media emerged from the sewers, emboldened by their anonymity and their usual armoury of ignorance, their anger fomented by the colour of his skin and an accent that was more Bath than Ballyhaunis.