From the World Cup: What sports can teach us about racism worldwide
by Sumin Woo
When the captain of the South Korean national soccer team drilled in the second and final goal against the defending World Cup champions Germany in June, he effectively cemented groupmate Mexico’s fate, volleying them to the next round. A lifelong, ardent Korea fan, I screamed and cried as I witnessed my team pull off one of the greatest upsets in World Cup history. I laughed as I watched videos of Mexicans pouring a shot of tequila for the Korean consul general in Mexico City, Mexican fans hoisting Koreans on their shoulders and chanting, “Coreanos, hermanos, ya eres mexicano” — “Koreans, brothers, you are Mexicans.”
These moments encapsulated the spirit of World Cup soccer and sport itself, which has the power to unite people and countries across cultures. What took the focus away from the camaraderie were the racist gestures of a handful of Mexican fans that followed. Most notably, as a thank you to the Korean team, Telemundo personalities James Tahhan and Janice Bencosme pressed their fingers to the outer corners of their eyes and stretched them back, making them “slant-eyed” on live television. Both hosts later apologized, and Telemundo suspended them indefinitely.
In a separate incident at the World Cup, Argentine soccer legend Diego Maradona reportedly made the same gesture to Korean fans at Argentina’s match against Iceland. There is a slew of other incidents, including Houston Astros first baseman Yuli Gurriel’s identical actions after he hit a home run off of Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yu Darvish, who is of Japanese and Iranian descent, during last year’s World Series, and the entire Spanish men’s basketball team posing for an advertisement before the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.
Each occasion is always followed up with a statement apologizing for any offense caused by the gesture, as well as an explanation or justification for the action. Gurriel, who also called Darvish “chinito” (translating literally from Spanish to “little Chinese boy”) while making the gesture, said that he “did not mean it to be offensive at any point… if I offended him, I apologize. It was not my intention.” The president of the Spanish Basketball Federation said, “it was a gesture of affection… and identification with the Chinese people.” Maradona said that he, “from afar, tried to tell them [the Korean fans] how nice it seemed to me that even the Asians cheer for us. And that’s all, guys, come on.”
But intent isn’t all that matters. Whether Gurriel, the Spanish basketball team, Maradona, Tahhan or Bencosme meant ill will, people were offended by their actions, which are comparable to racial slurs and other derogatory actions or words. It has been used throughout our history to demean Asian Americans and perpetuate a harmful, and frankly, hurtful, gesture.
Making the slant-eyed gesture should be taken just as seriously and quickly denounced, and even more so when the offenders are public figures with enormous influence. Telemundo swiftly suspended their hosts. Major League Baseball suspended Gurriel for five games, imposed after the World Series and served when he was injured and already unable to play. Maradona and the Spanish basketball team did not receive any legitimate punishments, aside from public outcry. When these actions go uncorrected or unpunished, it implies that the gestures are okay. Not only do they offend, gestures and words like these destroy the exuberance and joy of the moment, ending in a negative experience for all.
Sumin Woo is a communications intern with Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC.
