Serie A club Lazio fired falconer Juan Bernabé after he posted images of his penile implant on social media. Barnabas was in charge of making the eagle mascot, Olimpia, fly before home games.
Bernabe posted graphic images and videos of his penile implant on his social media account, leading the team to fire him. In a statement released by Lazio, she said she was “shocked to see the photographic and video images of Mr. Juan Bernabè and to read the statements that accompanied them.”
The club also acknowledged that not having Olympia fly over the Stadio Olimpico before the next home game will be a disappointment for fans, although it felt that sacking Bernabe was the right decision.
“The Company is aware of the pain, shared by all, that the loss of the Águila in the next home games will cause to the fans,” the team stated.
According to the Telegraph, Barnabas defended his actions on an Italian radio station, saying he was raised in an “open-minded naturist family.”
This is the second time that Barnabas has been at the center of controversy. In 2021, Lazio suspended Bernabe because he was filmed cheering on Italian dictator Benito Mussolini. Barnabas also defended himself in that case, saying that Mussolini did “great things” for Italy.
