Once again, Lazio Rome is parting ways with its falconer. Intimate photos and videos are Juan Bernabé's undoing - he shared pictures of his prosthetic penis.
15.01.2025, 11:00
15.01.2025, 13:28
dpa
Once again, a video recording is Juan Bernabé's undoing - but this time a rather intimate one: the Lazio Roma falconer shared photos and videos of his new penile prosthesis after undergoing intimate surgery. Fans complained to the Serie A club. The club has now ended its collaboration with Bernabé after almost 15 years.
It is not the first time that Lazio has parted ways with the Spaniard. In 2021, a video circulated of Bernabé raising his right arm in a fascist salute, the "saluto romano" (Roman salute). With other fans, he shouted "Duce, Duce", referring to the Italian dictator Benito Mussolini. There is a larger group of right-wing supporters in the Lazio fan community.
Eagle is the heraldic animal of Lazio
Lazio have seen the current photo and video recordings of the falconer, who has been flying the Olympia eagle around the Olympic Stadium in Rome since 2010, and have "severed all relations with him with immediate effect", according to a statement. The eagle is the heraldic animal of the Italian capital club.
"The club is aware of the pain that the loss of the eagle will cause the fans at the upcoming home games." However, the move was unavoidable: "But we cannot associate our historic symbol with such a person," Lazio's statement continued.
Bernabé defends himself
A penile prosthesis is used for men with erectile dysfunction. An implanted pump enlarges the erectile tissue and induces an erection, so to speak. Bernabé sees no problem in sharing his photos and videos. "My genitals are like my hands. They are part of my body," he said in an interview with the newspaper "La Repubblica".
"I did it to give a sign to the many people who have the same problem and to give them courage. It is important for them to know that they are not taking any risks with this operation," explained Bernabé.
Club doctor must also leave
As reported by "Corriere dello Sport", club president Claudio Lotito has also dismissed urologist and andrologist Gabriele Antonini, who was part of Lazio's medical staff and operated on Bernabé, "at the speed of light".
Antonini , for his part, stated: "I have no working relationship with Lazio. That's why I can't understand how I could be 'dismissed'. My role is that of a consultant and I have always worked with the utmost professionalism. I expect a letter of apology from the club, which I proudly support, and an immediate resumption of our collaboration."
