Drogheda Utd has distanced itself from a racist letter sent to a Carlow-based athlete purporting to be from supporters of the Co Louth soccer club.

The vicious hate mail sullied an occasion of pride for bodybuilder Irish champion, Nicoleta Chiorean.

The Carlow resident and all at McFitt Gym, Barrack Street were shocked to read a letter which began with the hateful sentiments: There are 40,000 of you’se (sic) wasters in our country, cleaning car windows, robbing people and dole creaming. You’se don’t look Irish or sound Irish so don’t represent Irish.

The letter goes on to say go back to Blasov or Constanta, there must be a shortage of criminals over there surely if they’re all over here. Ireland for white Irish. It is signed: ‘Skins, Drogheda Utd’.

The letter was posted but there is no mark indicating where from.

The vicious letter has elicited a furious response from Drogheda United who say they are “horri-fied” that the racist letter was linked to their club.

The football team’s PRO Terry Collins claimed he had “never heard of a group called ‘Skins’ from Drogheda United.”

He went on to say that the club was totally opposed to racism of any sort and that such behaviour was “not tolerated”.

“We are very annoyed and upset at this letter and we are totally opposed to anything like this”.

Mr Collins went on to point out that Drogheda United work closely with community groups in their area and such letters should be handed in to the gardaí.

The letter arrived just days after Nicoleta achieved a terrific result in the World Champ-ionships of the Amateur Body Builders Association (NABBA) held in Southport, England by being placed eighth among 21 participants from around the world.

Following The Nationalist’s feature on Nicoleta when she was crowned the 2006 Miss Ireland in the Miss Figure category a number of weeks ago, her story was picked up and covered by many national newspapers.

“It’s 2006 and that attitude has to be stamped out,” said Michael Dempsey, of McFitt Fitness Studio, Barrack Street, Carlow.

“We should embrace people like Nicoleta and be very proud of her... she’s put Ireland on the map. There are Irish people all over the world, too, and we should remember that,” he added.

Nicoleta, who lives with her husband Relu and a 5-year-old daughter Beatrice in Ashfield, Carlow is determined to remain positive despite the offensive letter.

“I have come across this attitude before in bodybuilding websites where we are described as gypsies or stupid. I was upset at the beginning but people who know about sport, know the training and dieting that’s involved, and all the hard work are supportive,” she said.

“I know not everyone is like that. Good people appreciate you and I real-ly don’t care about letters like that,” she smiles.

“I didn’t take anyone’s place - the judges chose me,” Nicoleta stresses.

For now, Nicoleta is focusing on her training and basking in the success of her eighth place in the World Championships.

“I am really, really happy with that, considering I am only training for one year.”

She now looks forward to another World Championships in Malta in June next year and a number of national competitions.

“I’m back training straight away - no breaks,” she smiles, while also expressing her thanks to her sole sponsor, Sports Sense.

“She has a brilliant attitude and the judges in England said that she really could be a great champion if she keeps progressing the way she has,” said Michael.