Manchester City defender Kyle Walker is not happy over what he described as an invasion of privacy after the media reported again that he breached the lockdown guidelines in the United Kingdom.
Earlier in April, the Sun newspaper in the UK broke the news that the footballer and his unnamed friend decided to break the lockdown guidelines by calling for the services of two prostitutes who came to the footballer’s Cheshire home to entertain them.
Manchester City issued a statement to admonish him while also stating that the England national team player will be punished at the level of the club. The footballer also tendered a public apology for not being a good ambassador of the club. Nothing was heard after that.
Weeks later, another report broke that the Manchester City defender was seen visiting his sister and parents in Sheffield which is against the lockdown guidelines. To make matters worse, he was reportedly seen hugging her which is against the social distancing order.
Walker had to issue a lengthy press statement via Twitter to urge the media to stop harassing him by intruding in his family life. According to the Manchester City defender, the action of the media is affecting his “young family”.
Though he accepted that he was wrong to leave his house to visit his sister and parents when the government has not relaxed the lockdown order, he insisted that his life is being scrutinised without any context.
The 29-year-old said he had to visit his sister to present a birthday card to her and also to talk to her since the past months have been so difficult for him. He noted how he couldn’t do anything when his sister decided to give him a hug.
The Manchester City star also had to visit his parents to get some “home-cooked food” from them. “It’s been an extremely tough couple of months for them: everything I’ve gone through in my life they have gone through with me”, he noted.
Kyle Walker Wants the Press to Leave his Family Alone
Kyle Walker’s press statement read: “What have my parents and sister done to deserve their privacy being invaded by photographers following me to their homes? I constantly feel as though I am being followed. I don’t even feel safe in the confines of my own home – why should they have to feel like that too? Who deserves that?
“I am in a privileged position as a role model and a professional athlete and can assure you from my upbringing that I do not take it for granted. But at what stage do my feelings get taken into consideration?
“My family has been torn apart, this has been dragged through the press, and I ask: when is enough enough?
“At a time when the focus is understandably on Covid-19, at what point does mental health get taken into consideration, an illness which affects every sufferer differently? I am a human being, with feelings of pain and upset just like everybody else.
“Being in the public eye as a professional athlete does not make you immune to this. It is sad, but I feel as though my life is being scrutinised without any context.
“I understand if people are upset or angry with me, but it was important for people to have a better understanding of my life.”
As at the time of publishing this report, Manchester City has not issued any statement to condemn Kyle Walker’s recent action.
— Kyle Walker (@kylewalker2) May 7, 2020
