The Manchester City defender admitted wrongdoing after also being reprimanded in April and says he no longer feels safe in his own home
Friday 8 May 2020 15:42, UK
Kyle Walker has defended himself after breaking lockdown for a second time, saying he feels he and his family are being harassed.
The Manchester City defender was responding to reports he had broken lockdown again while visiting his sister and parents in Sheffield.
While Walker took full responsibility for flouting quarantine rules, he bit back at what he believes is an overzealous press who are intruding on his family life.
In a statement released on his Twitter page, Walker said: "I feel as though I have stayed silent long enough.
"In light of the most recent article published about me and my family, I feel as though I have no choice but to address things publicly.
"I have recently gone through one of the toughest periods of my life, which I take full responsibility for.
"However, I now feel as though I am being harassed."
The 29-year-old's attempts to redress recent controversies comes after it was widely reported he held a party at his home last month.
Walker apologised on that occasion, too, reiterating the importance of his status as a role model and complying with the current lockdown measures.
But the England defender feels the side effects of increased press interest is taking its toll on his young family.
However, while conceding his status as a professional footballer brings with it added scrutiny, he says he felt compelled to speak out on his family's "invasion of privacy" and asked, "when is enough, enough?"
"This is no longer solely affecting me, but affecting the health of my family and young children too," Walker continued.
"In relation to the events on Wednesday, I travelled to Sheffield to give my sister a birthday card and present, but also to speak to one of the few people I believe I can trust in my life.
"She hugged me to remind me how much she cares and that I am loved. What am I meant to do - push her away?
"I then travelled to my parents' house to pick up some home-cooked meals. Again, 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.
"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."
Manchester City will be taking no action against Walker and the club are aware of the wider context behind the player's actions.
