WEXFORD CAPTAIN LEE Chin has opened up for the first time about being racially abused last year, revealing he feels ‘sympathy’ for the man involved.

Attacker Chin, who will begin his latest Leinster SHC campaign against Dublin on Sunday, was verbally abused by a spectator at a charity game against Tipperary in April of 2023.

A 48-week ban, in line with a new anti-racism rule in the GAA, was later proposed for the spectator though Chin declined to speak about it at the time.

A year on, the 31-year-old has opened up about the incident and said he didn’t speak publicly back then partly because he didn’t wish to add to the backlash that the individual, who was deeply remorseful, was already receiving.

“I just didn’t think it would have helped with me coming out and having a go everywhere as well,” said Chin. “I was quite conscious of him, I was. I genuinely was, even my family were.

“We would be that way inclined at home and we were conscious of his feelings and how things can end up for him.

I remember the phone call I had with him and he was very sorrowful and he couldn’t apologise any more.

“We had good conversations and I left the phone call wishing him well and letting him know that I had no hard feelings towards him and stuff, things like that I hope were helpful towards him.”

Chin said part of him felt sorry for the spectator in this instance. It was reported by one Sunday newspaper outlet, who confronted the man at the time, that he sent a letter of apology to Chin, aside from the phone call.

“Look, there was a part of me at the time that felt sorry for him as well, he has a family of his own and what happened was unfortunate but sometimes things are said in the heat of the moment and they’re not intentionally meant with any great malice,” he said.

“I had sympathy for him and his family at the time, and still do, but I think he’s very sorry for what happened on the day and we did have conversations and things are smooth and I hope he’s doing well.”

Chin, whose father emigrated to Wexford from Malaysia around 30 years ago, previously spoke out about being racially abused as a younger player.

Asked if things have improved generally over the last decade, Chin shrugged.

“Look, all I can say in my own experiences is that not a whole lot has changed from when I was younger to now, it still tends to happen,” he said.

“I’d like to state that it has never happened to me during a senior inter-county game at all, or any form of inter-county status level, it’s never happened.

“Obviously we know back a few years ago it happened to me in a club game back home and at various different times.

But if you’re asking the question, are we in a different place? From what I experience at times, no.”

On the upcoming Championship, the 2019 Leinster SHC medallist said he remains confident of Wexford’s ability to rekindle those glory days under new manager Keith Rossiter.

“Definitely, yeah of course,” the centre-forward enthused. “At the end of the day, you are here because you want to win. Are we capable of doing that? I believe so.

“Look, it takes a lot of consistency, a lot of work and a bit of luck along the way too. Hopefully we can get off to a good start in the Championship and look, if you do get off to a good start you might gather a bit of momentum and confidence along the way and hopefully you will be there at the end of it.”