David Cotterill has struck again. The former footballer turned conspiracy theorist has two targets this time. They are two-time US President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle Obama.
The former Birmingham City and Welsh international has been in and out of trouble. His recent comments about the Robb Elementary School incident where 21 children lost their lives sparked outrage when he remarked that “crisis actors” were used.
The backlash he faced forced him to delete his tweet later on. This time his comments are even crazier.
Cotterill has shockingly claimed that former US President Barack Obama has lied about being gay, probably referring to his confession about making love to men in a letter to his ex-girlfriend; about trafficking children; and about his wife Michelle who Cotterill thinks is a man.
He further adds that Michelle Obama would be the first transgender to run for the post of US President which is also a claim based on another conspiracy theory by Infowars host Alex Jones, who tried to prove that the former first lady was transgender.
History is replete with examples of footballers who have turned into or have been victimized by conspiracy theorists.
Some names are Matthew Le Tissier, Argentinian goalkeeper Carlos Roa, Spanish legend Iker Casillas and the biggest of the group David Icke who claims that the human race is governed by a reptilian race.
Cotterill’s crazy claims
Cotterill is one of many footballers who have been into conspiracy theory. Among his claims are that the moon-landing was fake and that the world is ruled by a ring of paedophiles.
He also claimed that the Brighton & Hove midfielder Enock Ewepu was forced to retire not because of his hereditary heart problem but because of taking the COVID-19 vaccine.
In 2018, Cotterill shared his story publicly and said that he has struggled with depression and suicidal thoughts all his life and received a lot of praise. In 2019, he revealed that he was struggling with alcohol.
Is there a method to the madness?
Conspiracy theorists like Cotterill try to construct a reality which is governed by its own rules and try to link it with the actual reality by blurring the line between the two by providing alternative explanations with manufactured concepts.
These attempts are perhaps made in order to get cheap popularity by capturing people’s attention with theories that are far-fetched. In case of Cotterill, his latest claim about Barack and Michelle Obama might just be another attempt to give people something to gossip about.
His pattern of behaviour might stem from the need to have a community that might fill the void caused by depression and anxiety with which he has had a lifelong struggle.
