Ireland star’s homophobic tweets are discovered
HOMOPHOBIC tweets written by Ireland defender Shane Duffy have been unearthed online.
The footballer, who is reported to be in a relationship with Katie Price, wrote the tweets as a teenager in 2011 and 2012.
The Brighton & Hove Albion player used language such as ‘gayboy’ and ‘puff’ as he described another player. The Premier League club his plays for actively campaigns against homophobia.
In one post shared in May 2011, he wrote: ‘Gayboy u out tonite?’ followed by, ‘Tell him he’s a puff and go get his eyebrows waxed the girl.’
In another post from October 2012, the Derry native criticised presenter Rylan Clark. ‘Seriously Rylan get off my screen! I actually hate this man/whatever he is,’ he wrote.
A representatives from Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club said: ‘The club’s stance on homophobia is well known, and we have a zero tolerance approach. Shane made the posts when he was still a teenager.
‘He has since previously apologised for any offence he may have unwittingly caused. As far as the club is concerned that draws a line under this issue from six or seven years ago.’
The Irish Daily Mail has con- tacted the Football Association of Ireland for comment.
The messages shared by the now 26-year-old are likely to not sit well with former glamour model Katie, who has publicly campaigned to make online trolling a criminal offence.
Her efforts come after her son Harvey, who has Prader-Willi syndrome and is partially blind, has continuously been targeted by online trolls.
Rumours of a romance between mum-of-five Katie and Brighton defender Shane circulated after her pink Range Rover was spotted outside his home.