Roma's Antonucci gets soccer loan terminated due to TikTok videos

June 26 (UPI) -- Italian soccer player Mirko Antonucci had his loan from Roma to Vitoria terminated due to his use of the social media site TikTok, which consists of short videos of dances, lip-syncs and more.

Vitoria -- a club in Portugal's Liga NOS -- announced earlier this week that Antonucci's loan was terminated. Antonucci, 21, also apologized to the club.

Antonucci's loan was terminated after he posted a video of himself smiling and dancing hours after Vitoria latest loss to Boavista. A club spokesman told ESPN the video was "the last straw."

The Roma forward has nearly 30,000 followers on TikTok and nearly 90,000 Instagram followers.

Sources told ESPN and Marca that Vitoria had warned Antonucci before his latest video. Antonucci said in his apology that he would quit social media but Vitoria had already made the decision to sever ties with the striker.

"This message is to say that I'm fully aware of the mistakes I made," Antonucci wrote on Instagram. "I would like to apologize to those that felt offended: fans, club, coach and teammates. I'm going to quit social media and from now on, you are only going to see me sweat in the Vitoria Setubal jersey until the last drop. Go Vitoria!"

Antonucci joined Vitoria on loan from Roma in January.

"It was communicated to his parent club, Roma, that the loan ends now and that we no longer count on the player, above all out of respect for the fans and the history of the club and for all those who work on a daily basis to represent this team with the greatest responsibility and dignity," Vitoria manager Julio Velazquez said.

"For what this badge represents, for the history of the club and out of respect for the fans, a Vitoria player must be one 24 hours a day.

"The situation is very simple, the club, the management, technical team and staff understood that the behavior of a player who was on loan was not what we wanted of a Vitoria player, nor what the fans deserve, on and off the pitch."

The Italian forward started his youth career with Roma in 2011. He made his senior debut for the Rome-based club in 2018. Antonucci also went on loan last season to Serie B club Pescara.