Instead of apologising to Osimhen, the club only explained they never had any intention to offend Osimhen with the soft contents.
Despite global condemnation and even a threat of legal action, Napoli have refused to apologise to Victor Osimhen after the club posted two controversial TikTok videos that were widely seen as mocking the Nigerian striker.
The videos, which have since been deleted first likened Osimhen to a coconut then the other was mocking his penalty miss against Bologna.
Osimhen was understandably furious with the video, a development that saw him deleting all pictures on his Instagram account where he was in Napoli colours.
Napoli obviously bowing to pressure after keeping mute for days has now released a statement on the incident.
However, instead of apologising to Osimhen, the club only explained they never had any intention to offend Osimhen with the soft contents.
The statement read:
"Calcio Napoli, wishing to avoid any exploitation of the issue, point out that we never wanted to offend or mock Victor Osimhen, who is a treasure of this club.
"As proof of that, during the summer training retreat, the Club firmly rebuffed every offer that was received for the striker's transfer abroad.
"Social media, in particular, TikTok, has always used an expressive form of language with a light heart and creativity, without wanting to, as in the case with Osimhen as protagonist, have any intention of insult or derision.
"In any case, if Victor perceived any offence towards him, this was not what the club intended."
Reaction
Osimhen has not yet responded to Napoli's statement but many across social media platforms still find the official club reaction as disrespectful with some even describing it as racist.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
The incident has sparked outrage among many fans and pundits, who have accused Napoli of disrespecting their own player.
"This isn't an apology to the player. It is how not to say sorry. It's a shame on," Bimbo Adeola a Nigerian journalist, reacted.
It remains to be seen whether Napoli will now apologise to Osimhen. However, the incident has caused a lot of damage to the club's relationship with their star striker.
Napoli's refusal to apologise to Osimhen is a baffling decision and it might mean Osimhen's days in Naples are numbered even though he has a contract with the club till June 2025.
Several clubs in the world including the likes of Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal, and even big spenders in Saudi Arabia all want Osimhen in their ranks as he remains one of the most lethal strikers in the world presently.
