Michael Duignan has condemned the sharing of WhatsApp messages spreading rumours about members of the Tipperary hurling panel.
The Offaly man was speaking with Darren Frehill on Radio One's Morning Ireland.
Asked by Frehill about the 'Unsightly social media campaign against a number of players with the Tipperary camp which has swept the country,' the two-time All-Ireland winner described it as 'disgusting'.
It's been a very, very bad week just in general for society from a moral point of view. The rumour that has gone around about some of those Tipperary players and some of their families etc. has been absolutely disgusting in my point of view. It's horrific.
Frehill interjected, adding that RTÉ had spoken to sources close to the Tipperary camp who had called the rumours 'unfounded'.
Duignan said that he had personally received the messages but had deleted them immediately.
It's a sad reflection on society. I think the people that are doing it, if they think that they are GAA people... It's nothing to do with the lads being amateurs or anything like that.
To me, making up malicious rumours about decent people and the damage that must have had on them this week, on the players, on their families, on their work colleagues, it just must have been a very difficult week for them all.
I would just encourage people that are sharing that sort of material on social media and sending texts around and WhatsApp messages [to stop]. I got them myself and I deleted them immediately.
I just think it's disgusting behaviour and I feel very sorry for the players involved.
Duignan also commented on Cathal Barrett being dropped from the Tipperary panel for a disciplinary reasons.
I think the Cathal Barrett thing is fair enough.
Whatever it was, Michael Ryan dealt with it.
Some of the commentary about that, even from the Tipp secretary, comparing him to a child standing in the corner, there was no need for that.
