The athlete from Cordoba, the only Argentine medalist to date at the Olympic Games, got involved in the controversy surrounding the hockey player who became a German citizen and celebrated the 2-1 partial against the Lions.
Maligno Torres gave his opinion on the Gonzalo Peillat controversy.
Gonzalo Peillat’s wild celebration, with his fist clenched and his shout in the air, generated anger and rejection throughout Argentina. The Hacha, who became a German citizen in 2020, shouted a goal at Los Leones, a team he joined years ago and with which he won a gold medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
In addition to the thousands of insults he received on social media, there was one Argentine athlete who got involved in the controversy and, true to his style, gave his opinion without mincing words.
Newly arrived in the country, José Torres Gil, better known as Maligno, showed off the gold medal he won in the BMX event (the only national medal so far in Paris 2024) and was asked about Peillat’s celebration in front of his former teammates.
“I heard very little, like he became a German and celebrated in the face of all the Argentines…”, the cyclist opened on América TV. With his characteristic Cordoban tone, with bursts of seriousness and humor, he said that he should be punished for that betrayal: “He should be beaten, haha.”
Accompanied by Javier Milei, Maligno Torres shows the public the gold medal of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games from the balcony of the Casa Rosada (@CasaRosada)
Another Argentine representative at these Olympic Games who showed his patriotism and stood out from Peillat was José María Larocca. After qualifying for the final of the individual show jumping event, the rider, who was born in Wettingen, Switzerland, but decided to defend his family’s colours, beat his chest and made it clear: “Nothing makes me prouder than representing Argentina and I enjoy it very much.”
José María Larocca, on the pride of representing Argentina
He added: “In some way I want to get results for Argentina, of course you want results for yourself, but it’s for my country that I want to do it and I enjoy it. I really enjoy seeing how happy people are when I do well and that’s what gives me the most pleasure.” He also remarked on TyC Sports: “How nice to be able to represent our country in the final tomorrow.”
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