A Greek-Nigerian teenager in the country’s under-16 women’s national team at the European championships in northern Greece has lashed out at racist abuse she says she has suffered in her country.
Lisa Itoya, 16, said in a social media post that “half of Greece may hate me simply because of the color of my skin.”
“They tell me I don’t deserve to play in Greece, as if my worth as an athlete is determined by my skin color,” she added. “So thank you for insulting a 16-year-old girl just because she is chasing her dream. You can judge me, you can doubt me, and you can try to bring me down, but you will never define me.”
“I will keep wearing my country’s jersey with pride,” she said. Itoya plays for Thessaloniki club Panathlitikos Sykeon.
Itoya has stood out in the U16 team’s games so far in Ioannina for the FIBA U16 Women’s EuroBasket, Division B, with an average of 19.3 points, 4 rebounds and 1.3 assists in three natches.
