A Team GB women’s rugby player is facing an investigation by the British Olympic Association after allegedly making a racist comment.
Officials are understood to be looking into a screengrab of a WhatsApp conversation that was posted on social media which allegedly involves Team GB forward Amy Wilson-Hardy.
In the image, which was posted on social media by a newly created Instagram account, the 32-year-old appears to be wearing a dark face mask.
Another person, who is not named in the image, then posts underneath: “Genuine chocolate face”.
The message receives the response: “Thought I’d have a better chance with the blacks”.
The image was posted along with the caption: “A little black face racism by Team GB Rugby 7’s Amy Wilson-Hardy even joking she’ll have a better chance with the blacks.”
The BOA declined to comment other than to say they were aware of the post and looking into the circumstances surrounding it.
Wilson-Hardy, who made her England debut in 2013, featured in Monday afternoon’s 26-17 victory over South Africa.
After the allegation came to the BOA’s attention, Wilson-Hardy then featured in Great Britain’s 17-7 quarter-final elimination by the United States of America, coming on with 4min 35sec left in the second half on Monday night.
She has 10 caps for England and this was her second Olympic Games after she was selected for Rio in 2016.
From West Sussex, she won a bronze medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, was named in the 2017 Women’s Rugby World Cup squad and has a degree in engineering from Bath University.
A spokesperson for the BOA said: “The British Olympic Association has been made aware of an image on a social media platform and is investigating the matter.”
Speaking before the Games began, Wilson-Hardy, who was not selected for Tokyo, said she was determined to fight her way back into the squad for Paris.
She added: “I had this new lease of life and I knew I had to get to Paris, have three years building and getting my confidence back.
“This time the tears came a bit quicker, but they were happy tears. It was only when the final 12 was confirmed that I really let go and the tears came flooding.”
Source Agencies
