'All that shows is pure ignorance': Liam Griffin blasts 'scumbags' who racially abused track star Adeleke

The All-Ireland-winning coach compared the situation to that experienced by Wexford talisman Lee Chin.

Women's 400m silver medallist Rhasidat Adeleke. Pic: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

Liam Griffin has condemned the “scumbags” who aimed racial abuse at Irish sprint star Rhasidat Adeleke last week.

Wexford’s 1996 All-Ireland SHC winning manager likened the “absolutely scandalous” treatment of the Dubliner who earlier this month won one gold and two European silver medals to some of the experiences Lee Chin has had to encounter in his hurling career.

The Wexford captain was the subject of a racist comment by a supporter during a challenge game against Tipperary in Carrick-on-Suir last year. The man in question was handed a 48-week ban by the GAA and apologised to Chin.

In the wake of her success in Rome, Tallaght woman Adeleke was subjected to ignorant and vile remarks on social media. Aghast at the remarks, leading politicians including the Taoiseach Simon Harris expressed their support for the 21-year-old and Griffin has joined them in backing Adeleke.

“Lee has an ethnic background and I have always said you don’t need to be from the middle of Glen Rovers to be a great hurler. He’s a magnificent hurler, born and bred in Ireland.

“It’s particularly great to know that when you see what some people are doing to Rhasidat at the moment. That’s absolutely scandalous. They are scumbags who are writing anti things about her and Lee got that a few times as well. All that shows is pure ignorance. Lee is an absolute gentleman and it’s part of what makes him great.” 

Griffin agreed 2019 All-Star Chin is playing some of the best hurling of his career at present. However, he was glad to see other Wexford players taking responsibility for guiding the team in last month’s narrow Leinster SHC final round defeat to Kilkenny.

“I have great respect for Lee and he doesn’t need me to tell him but we ran Kilkenny to a point and Lee didn’t lead the team that day. He didn’t have as good a game as he did in nearly every other game.

“The great thing about that is we can live without Lee. Everyone in Wexford would be down if Lee was gone and thinking we’re doomed. We can’t be thinking like that. Lee is a very special man but there will be another Lee.

“It’s an overstatement to say we won without him but he didn’t play like he can always do and that was the big thing I took from that game – ‘we can play without Lee Chin, will ye stop?’ The time will come and it’s up to us to have the legacy right ourselves.”