A 36 years old accountant has gotten himself into trouble at the ongoing London 2012 Olympics flashing the infamous Nazi Hitler salute during a game involving Nigeria’s basketball team, D’Tigers.
Petras Lescinskas of Lithuania committed the offence while watching his country square off with Nigeria on Tuesday. He got into trouble after being seen raising his arm several times and making a ‘Hitler moustache’ with his other hand.
“He was with a group of Lithuanians heard making obscene noises during a match with Nigeria,” said The Sun of Britain.
The next day, Lescinskas was charged to court and convicted despite claiming that his behaviour is acceptable in his home country. He was fined £2,500 (about N650,000) by Stratford Magistrates’ Court after admitting racially aggravated behaviour.
Slamming the disgraced fan, District Judge Sonia Sims said: “Your behaviour was despicable. You have been intolerant of a country in a racist fashion towards others who don’t deserve abuse for their race, colour or creed.
“As for the gesture, which has been described as a Nazi salute, it is a direct insult to all of those who lost their lives in the Holocaust and the effect on generations since. I do not accept that this is acceptable behaviour in your country. That behaviour I am sure is unacceptable to your fellow countrymen who no doubt want to distance themselves from your actions.
“The Olympics is a wondrous event not only for Great Britain but for all the nations who are competing, participating or watching on television. This type of conduct tarnishes the whole ethos of the Games.”
Lescinskas, who has a wife and children, will thus return home as an ex-convict when the Olympic Games finish on August 13.
Transport & Business Express reports that D’Tigers (shown in photo), who featured in the Olympics for the first time, beat African champions Tunisia in their first match before crashing out after losing to Lithuania and USA’s Dream Team.
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