Amad Responds to Abuse with Obscene Gesture
Manchester United’s Amad Explains Middle Finger Gesture After Abusive Incident in Malaysia
Manchester United winger Amad has addressed a viral incident in which he was seen making an obscene gesture towards fans in Malaysia, explaining that it was a reaction to deeply personal verbal abuse.
The 22-year-old Ivory Coast international was filmed raising his middle finger to a group of people outside United’s hotel in Kuala Lumpur during the club’s post-season tour. The clip quickly spread across social media, prompting widespread discussion.
In a statement, Manchester United confirmed that Amad’s reaction followed “serious personal abuse” directed at his mother. The club clarified that the abuse was not racially motivated.
Amad later took to X (formerly Twitter) to defend his actions, stating:
“I have respect for people, but not for the one who insults my mum. I shouldn’t have reacted like that, but I don’t regret what I did.”
There had been speculation that fans were simply shouting “Diallo,” his former surname. However, United officials and Amad himself pointed to more personal and offensive comments as the trigger.
Amad, who dropped “Traore” from his name after being fined by the Italian FA in 2021 due to irregularities surrounding his move to Atalanta, has since opted to be known solely as “Amad.”
He featured in the second half of United’s 1–0 defeat to the ASEAN All-Stars on Wednesday. The team is scheduled to conclude their tour with a fixture in Hong Kong on Friday.
Amad Responds to Abuse with Obscene Gesture