Football
Sandesh Jhingan was wrong, but is threatening his family justified?
Hatred for hatred can never be the answer. If Sandesh Jhingan was wrong in making his comments, it doesn't validate the fact his wife gets threatened.
Even though the Indian Super League's (ISL) race to playoffs has heated up exceptionally, the focus in the last few has barely been on the sport or the qualification scenarios.
Instead, majority of the talks have been surrounding a certain comment made by the ATK Mohun Bagan defender Sandesh Jhingan. Though the 28-year-old apologised and admitted his comments were directed to his teammates shortly after a video clip of his 'sexist comment' went viral, he continues to receive the flak even after more than five days.
"When you are so driven to win all points for your team, it's disappointing when you finish with just one. In the heat of the moment, we say a lot of things, and what's being circulated should be seen in the same perspective," Jhingan tweeted.
"What you hear is an argument I had with my teammate after the game. What I said was a result of the disappointment for not winning the game. I told my teammate not to make excuses, so anyone taking my comment differently is only doing it to tarnish my name," he added.
This statement from Jhingan did not sit well with fans and followers of the sport and things soon escalated with the footballer's social media handle soon filled with hate comments directed to his family and his Russian spouse.
A single scroll through the comments section of Jhingan's Instagram posts with his wife and one comes across statements which can be classified as everything from sexist to homophobic and blatant death threats.
Things got so bad that he turn off the comments section in his latest post wishing his wife on her birthday. He even had to put out a video statement requesting people not to direct hate towards his family for something which he had done wrong.
"What I said in the heat of the game is wrong and I am truly sorry for it. Though I cannot erase what I have done, what I will do from this is surely learn. An unfortunate fall out of this has been a lot of hate targeted to my family, especially my wife. I know people are upset with me but to threaten and racially abuse my family is not required and unwelcome," he can be heard saying.
This is certainly not the first time a sportsperson's family has to face the brunt for his or her performance or misdeeds in India. Some of the top athletes of the country including the likes of former cricket captains Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Virat Kohli and others have been facing the same since years.
While what Sandesh Jhingan said after that fateful draw against the Kerala Blasters was clearly wrong, does abusing his family for things he did make sense? Is it justified?