Olympic Diving Sweetheart Tom Daley Harassed and Threatened on Twitter

Posted by Derek Lactaoen on Aug 1, 2012 in Sports | 9 comments

Tom Daley, the sex symbol of London 2012 Olympic Diving, is dealing with more than just the pressure of The Games.

He’s dealing with death threats.

After the British men’s team finished in a disappointing fourth place in the 10-meter Synchronized Diving competition on Monday (just behind the U.S.), 18-year-old ~~beefcake~~ sweetheart Tom Daley received threatening, homophobic tweets from both the general public and fellow athletes.

The dude is 18 years old, he’s diving at the most competitive level the world can offer with men old enough to be his father, and he recently lost his father to brain cancer.

And then there’s this he has to deal with:

Local police gave a warning to Reece Messer, the shortsighted genius behind the @Rileyy_69 tweets. And while my boy Tom now walks with the Police Federation who are “making it up as they go,” protecting him from the difficult-to-deal-with Twitter threat, the Olympic diver also has to contend with shade thrown his way from Welsh soccer player Daniel Thomas (not competing in the Olympics) who tweeted:

“If there is any consolation for finishing fourth at least Daley and Waterfield can go and bum each other #teamHIV.”

The fuck?! For the record, neither Tom Daley nor his diving partner (equally a heart throb) Pete Waterfield have discussed their sexuality to the press, and Tom Daley is rumored to be dating U.S. diver Kassidy Cook.

Thomas’ Twitter account was promptly deleted as his team Port Talbot FC distanced itself from the wildly offensive tweet, saying that Thomas himself was the victim of a prank gone wrong after someone got a hold of his phone and published the Tweet. Thomas is currently under team suspension while Port Talbot investigates the “incident.”

I call bullshit. I call bullshit all over this bullshit. It’s not enough that we scrutinize Olympic athletes on their physical abilities as if we ourselves were capable of doing any of what they do, but then to hurl insults like these is blatantly indefensible.

While the Police Federation seeks guidance and legislation for instances of online-abuse spilled over into the RL, I think it’s more a societal problem that permits and endorses this type of behavior.

What say you? Is free speech free speech, or is there something to be said for taking Twitter threats seriously?

Catch Tom diving next in the 10-meter Platform competition on Friday, Aug. 10.

(Via Pink News, photo via cookiemonsturr03)

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000971710774 Harriet O’Neill

He by no means failed. I think I speak for everyone in Britain when I say we’re proud of you Tom!
ps. I share your views on the merits of Mr Daley…he is beautiful.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Landon-Smith/100000657413650 Landon Smith

When people take the Games too seriously it spoils the fun for the rest of us. On a lighter note, he can come dive into my deep end anyday
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1594110116 Nhia Pheng Thao

Thats disgusting. The fact that he even made it to the Olympics is good enough for me. That means he’s at the top, nest to the best of the best. And FYI to the idiot, Tom Daley could swim circles around him. Id like to see this basher make it to the Olympics. Ive read his other tweets as well. He was talking about killing this person and arguing with that person. Then he finally got punched in the face when he was taken to the police station! Ha! Now he wants to be apologetic. After going to the Police station. Prolly got some sense knocked into him. And as for the other athlete, bad sportsmanship, just bad.
jazzyjeff19

all speech should be free, meaning you are free to express your sentiments–however, this does not recuse the person of the consequences that come with expressing those sentiments. If you say something that alienates, offends or is polarizing then one should expect consequences. I definitely think Thomas should be suspended if he is found guilty of that incredibly insulting tweet–and I do not buy the excuse that he was hacked. Did he immediately call Daley and apologize? Nope, only until it created enough outrage did he claim his account was hacked into.
http://www.facebook.com/ZippyTheBookWorm Christopher Crooks

I can’t speak to the freedom of speech laws in Britain, but in American law, threats are not included in the freedom of speech. We can call each other failures and insinuate as to someones sexual proclivities with a complete lack of class or good taste all we like, but once you start threatening people it becomes criminal harassment at the very least.

So, if these tools wants to say that Tom is a failure, that’s their right. (Under American law, which doesn’t really apply.) They’re ass holes, but as far as I’m aware there’s no law against that even in the UK. Saying you’re going to shoot and/or drown someone… that’s a threat and (again under American law) is not protected. Throw the book at that guy. (Or is there a more colloquially appropriate phrase from the UK?)
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=504356180 Molly Gabrielle Liberty Soucy

I can’t believe that people would be so mean, its one thing to make rude homophobic insults, but to even take a stab involving his recently deceased father?! The poor kid is working HARD to represent our country, and just to make it onto the Olympic team is a phenomenal accomplishment that VERY few people can say they’ve done in their life, he did his best, and I think that’s a gold metal right there. His father would be PROUD that his son put his all into something he loved and was good at, and at such a young age, I’m sure he’s looking down at Tom and beaming with joy. Just because he wasn’t in first place doesn’t mean he deserves to be harassed with unnecessary, unproven and just idiotic remarks. Gay, straight or otherwise Tom Daley is a hero in my eyes for just representing our country so well.
http://www.facebook.com/I.luv.my.2xists Jay Reedy

It’s so funny how these people can run off at the mouth behind a computer screen but they don’t have the balls to say anything to your face. My partner and I are very open in public. We see a lots of people whispering and turning head when they see us hold hands but no one has yet had the balls to walk up to us and say one thing negative. If you’re gonna run your mouth and be a hater, be a man and do it in person. I would love to meet some of these guys in public. I can guarantee I would be the one releasing some hate while they lay on the ground, thinking to themselves, I just got my ass beat by a “fag”.
http://www.facebook.com/g.alex.fox Khai Fox

I would probably care more if people made as big a deal when bad shit happens to me, which is quite often.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100003092179741 Raymond Young

Those who can, do, those who cannot, criticise.

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