SIMON’S AGONY
Official investigation is underway as Zebo opens up on years of racist abuse
SIMON ZEBO has opened up about the hurt he felt after being subjected to racist abuse from an Ulster supporter last weekend, and revealed that an official investigation is underway.
Zebo was playing for Racing 92 in Belfast last Saturday and scored a try during his side’s 26-22 loss to Ulster.
After the European Champions Cup clash, Zebo posted a message on Twitter citing abuse from the home fans: ‘I hope my ears deceived me with some
comments directed my way from the crowd,’ he posted at the time. Racing 92 then released a statement strongly condemning the ‘racist insults’ that were allegedly aimed at Zebo. Now, the 28-year-old has opened up for the first time since the incident at Ravenhill. ‘The CEO of Ulster has been very, very good and very forthcoming in trying to help as much as possible, but I have just sent off my account of things to the EPCR,’ Zebo told RugbyPass. ‘They’re going to investigate it as far as they can, but it is quite difficult in a full stadium if things like that happen. There have been a couple of people who have written to me privately on social media and things like that saying they heard the abuse and they’ve heard things being said. ‘But at the same time you have to find a person, it’s quite tough. So I am happy that the investigation is going on or whatever, they are doing as much as they possibly can and a lot of players have come out and messaged me and text me and called me and been very supportive because it’s not really a nice thing. ‘But yeah, I’ve felt a lot of support and I can just forget about it now, I don’t want to give that negative energy too much attention.’ Zebo, who has won 35 caps for Ireland and featured in the last World Cup, also revealed that he suffered racial abuse when growing up in his native Cork. ‘It was something that happened to me quite a bit’ he added.