Bodybuilder under fire after 'slapping around' fan over social media feud
A US bodybuilder has come in for a torrent of criticism on social media after a video of him slapping a young fan went viral.
Rich Piana, a hulking bodybuilder and self-confessed steroid user, took umbrage at fan Jason Genova’s apparent call for people to attack Piana’s social media accounts.
The pair met at a bodybuilding event in Florida last week where Piana rained a series of ‘playful’ slaps on Genova’s face.
While the pair shook hands and smiled for photographs afterwards, many viewers said Genova was clearly uncomfortable and labelled Piana a bully over the incident.
Piana had reportedly become upset when Genova told his YouTube followers to execute an “Order 66” on Piana’s social media accounts.
Order 66 is an obscure reference to Star Wars Episode III: Return of the Sith and in an online context is taken to mean an order to flood social media accounts with disruptive comments.
In the video, Piana is heard telling Genova that he should “slap him around a little bit” to “teach him a lesson”.
In a subsequent post to his Facebook page, Piana defended his actions saying Genova had damaged his business by attempting to hurt his social media channels.
“He has caused so much damage and f***ed with so many people for NO reason!!” Piana wrote.
“His reasoning for attacking me was I never invited him to be an athlete on my 5% team?
In a separate post he wrote: “He admitted he was wrong and said he was sorry and I said how about for payback we slapbox for 30 seconds?
“He agreed and stood up to me like a man and I give him Mad respect!”
