Ex-Australia coach Lehmann quits social media after 'vile' hack

Sydney, January 7: Former Australia coach Darren Lehmann quit social media Tuesday (January 7) after his Twitter account was hacked and used to post "vile" content, including anti-Iran messages.

The 49-year-old is now coach of Brisbane Heat in the domestic Twenty20 Big Bash League and he was focused on their upset win over Sydney Thunder on Monday (January 6) when the incident occurred.

The person responsible used his account to promote anti-Iran messages and propaganda to Lehmann's 341,000 followers.

Global tensions are running high after US forces killed top Iranian general Qasem Soleimani in a drone strike in Baghdad, with Tehran threatening retaliation.

Lehmann said he was stunned and upset by what happened, with Twitter having since resolved the problem and removed the content.

Hi Heat fans, thanks for the messages. We are aware our coach Darren Lehmann's Twitter account has been hacked and are working closely with Twitter to rectify the situation. We apologise for any offence caused this evening.#BBL09

— Brisbane Heat (@HeatBBL) 6 January 2020

"As you have probably noticed, last night while we were playing our BBL game, someone hacked my accounts and used it to spread some malicious and hurtful statements," he said.

"To see such vile and horrendous opinions used in my name has caused great upset to me and my family. I've decided to have a break from social media for the foreseeable future.

"It has taken until this morning to have it resolved through Twitter despite me addressing it as soon as I become aware of it after the game," added Lehmann, who quit as Australia coach last year after a ball-tampering scandal.

His club Brisbane Heat apologised for any offence caused by the hacked messages.