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UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya has claimed that he would rape a rival fighter.
UFC Middleweight Champion and Halberg Awards Reigning Athlete of the Year Israel Adesanya Says He Would “Rape” a Rival Fighter Is the Type of Social Media Comment That Can “Normalize Threats of Sexual Violence,” Says Group prevention of violations.
“Brother, I’m going to … rape you,” Adesanya posted in a video on his Instagram story directed at fellow UFC middleweight teammate Kevin Holland, who criticized Adesanya in an offensive manner last week.
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Israel Adesanya was crowned Athlete of the Year at the 2020 Halberg Awards.
With more than 4.6 million followers on Instagram and more than 860,000 on Twitter, Adesanya has a large number of followers on social media who would have been exposed to the comment.
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Rape Prevention Education (RPE) executive director Debbi Tohill said comments on social media like Adesanya’s can normalize threats of sexual violence.
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Israel Adesanya is one of the biggest stars in the massive global promotion that is the UFC.
“People with a large following on social media can play an important role in reducing rates of sexual violence and creating healthy cultures of consent for any sexual activity.
“On the contrary, these types of comments where rape is used as a threat create a culture in which it is acceptable to make sexualized comments with the potential to cause more harm. Athletes and celebrities can really influence young people, we I would like this to happen in a positive way, without misuse and normalizing threats of sexual violence, “said Tohill.
Adesanya is frequently outspoken and has been overdone before.
Brendon Ratnayake / Photosport
Israel Adesanya often cuts the line well with some of his comments.
He issued an apology in February of last year after his “brain was working faster than my mouth” when he claimed that his then next opponent, Yoel Romero, “would collapse like the Twin Towers.”
“You talk into the mic enough times and you’re likely to miss the mark with a few bars. I did it on this one and I’m sorry. I’ll be more careful (in the future) with my words.”
But the UFC isn’t concerned enough about the “violation” claim to sanction its middleweight champion.
Despite the fact that Adesanya is one of the world’s biggest stars in the multi-million dollar promotion of mixed martial arts, his communications center in Las Vegas did not offer comment to Things.
The Halberg Foundation, which hosts the Halberg Awards Champion of the Decade awards night on Wednesday and crowned Adesanya Athlete of the Year in 2020, did not respond to approaches for comment.
Hannah Peters / Getty Images
Israel Adesanya speaks to the crowd at the Black Lives Matter 2020 protest in Auckland.
Things He was unable to approach Adesanya for comment as a UFC spokesperson said he would not be doing any media while in New Zealand’s Managed Isolation Facility (MIQ).
A representative for City Kickboxing, where Adesanya trains in Auckland, said they would not comment on the story.
Adesanya’s social media platform has been used for good in the past when she spoke in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, before and after delivering an emotional speech about her own experiences with racism at a protest in Auckland, and about others. human rights. issues.
It also paid for 10,000 masks and 1,000 face shields to be supplied to the Whanganui District Board of Health last year during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Adesanya’s rape comment came after the Netherlands, arguably the worst trash talker in the UFC, targeted the Kiwi at a press conference last week calling him a “real loser” among other disparaging taunts.
ALAN LEE / PHOTOSPORT
Israel Adesanya has a huge following on multiple social media platforms.
In the run-up to his loss to Derek Brunson at UFC Vegas 22 on the weekend, Holland made some strange and inappropriate comments of a sexual nature as he demoted Adesanya and others in the middleweight division.
Holland, who had five wins in as many fights in 2020, has been trying to fool Adesanya for the better part of two years, presumably trying to goad him into what would be Holland’s most lucrative UFC fight by some margin.
Ranked 10th in the UFC rankings before their loss to Brunson, who suffered a first-round knockout loss to Adesanya in November 2018, the Netherlands is a long way from challenging Adesanya’s middleweight belt. .
During his unanimous decision loss at the weekend, Holland strangely spent more time talking to his opponent and those outside the Octagon than actually fighting.
UFC President Dana White expressed concern for the Netherlands after the fight.
“I think it was a mental breakdown.
“I don’t know what he was doing. I think he couldn’t take the pressure and just mentally broke down. I haven’t seen anything like that. “
Where to get help for sexual violence:
- Rape crisis – 0800 88 33 00 (24 hour service)
- Victim support: 0800 842 846 (24-hour service)
- The Harbor: Online Information and Support for People Affected by Sexual Abuse
- Women’s shelter (women only) – crisis line available at 0800733843
- Trust for Male Survivors of Sexual Assault (Male Only) – Helplines throughout New Zealand.
- If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 111.
