ESPN removes influencer Eduardo Baptista following social media controversy

ESPN has removed influencer Eduardo Baptista, known as ‘Gol do Rayo’, from its upcoming project involving digital creators. Baptista was originally announced by the Disney Group as one of five influencers to participate in match broadcasts, but he was absent from the debut of the ‘Game Day ESPN’ project.

The decision follows intense social media backlash regarding past comments made by Baptista. During the 2024 Paris Olympics, he posted a sexually explicit comment regarding a 14-year-old Japanese skateboarder. Baptista later retracted the statement, claiming he was unaware the athlete was a minor. He has also faced previous criticism for racist remarks made on social media in 2021.

While Baptista has acknowledged his errors in the past, the recent controversy led to his removal from promotional materials and official broadcasts. ESPN has not yet issued an official statement regarding the decision to distance the network from the influencer.