Former Napoli sporting director Mauro Meluso has vehemently denied accusations of racism made by Nigeria striker Victor Osimhen, Soccernet.ng reports. Meluso's strong reaction comes after fresh comments from the Galatasaray forward, who detailed his difficult final months at the Italian club. Osimhen recently asserted that he was treated 'like a dog' during his tenure at Napoli and implied that racist undertones were present in a controversial TikTok video posted by the club after he missed a penalty.

The incident, which featured a clip mocking Osimhen for a missed spot-kick and sparked a global debate, became a pivotal moment leading to the striker’s departure from Naples in 2024. Meluso has now publicly rejected these accusations, stating that the club never intended to insult or humiliate its star player. He highlighted how quickly he and Napoli's communications director, Nicola Lombardo, moved to de-escalate tensions once the video began circulating online.

Speaking to Radio Napoli Centrale, Meluso recalled, “Regarding the TikTok video case, I remember that Nicola Lombardo and I calmed Osimhen down. He was furious the day after that video came out. We were accused of racism, but there was nothing wrong with that; it was just a bit of irony.” The former director underscored Napoli's institutional stance against discrimination, emphasizing that suggestions of racist behavior did not align with the values of the club or the city itself. “He took it very badly, but woe betide anyone who dared to use racist language: Napoli abhors any form of racism. And so do the people of the city,” Meluso affirmed.

Despite enjoying enormous success in Italy, where he scored 76 goals in 133 matches, the relationship between Victor Osimhen and Napoli deteriorated rapidly following the TikTok episode. Osimhen himself indicated that broken promises and the poor handling of the controversial situation ultimately pushed him towards seeking an exit from the club.

Meluso acknowledged the significant emotional impact the controversy had on Osimhen but maintained that the situation was largely misunderstood. He noted that the TikTok video "really affected him because it involved the intervention of some Nigerian government representatives who made some harsh statements." Meluso suggested this created a "media impact, which in my opinion was non-existent because no one wanted to offend him; someone exploited it." He clarified, however, that Osimhen's agent, Calenda, "has always been very fair."

Victor Osimhen remains one of the most important figures in Napoli’s modern history, having powered the club to their first Serie A title in 33 years during the 2022-23 season with 26 league goals. However, what began as a legendary partnership concluded in a tense separation. The striker ultimately left Napoli in the summer of 2024, initially joining Galatasaray on loan before making a permanent move after an impressive season in Turkey, marking the end of a contentious chapter.