Son Heung-min Substitution Sparks 'Eye-Squinting' Crowd Reaction... Tottenham Announces "Strong Response"

Losing to Tottenham, he narrowed his eyes and made a finger gesture
"We will ensure the strongest possible action is taken"

Tottenham Hotspur FC (Tottenham), the English Premier League (EPL) club to which footballer Son Heung-min (31) belongs, has announced a strong response to allegations of racial discrimination against him.

On the 7th (Korean time), Tottenham stated through its official social media channels, "We have confirmed allegations of racial discrimination directed at Son Heung-min during the match against Crystal Palace," emphasizing, "All forms of discrimination are hateful and unacceptable."

A Crystal Palace fan making a 'slanting eyes' gesture at Son Heung-min.
[Photo source=Instagram capture]

Tottenham added, "Local police and Crystal Palace are working together to identify the individual involved," and "We will do our utmost to ensure that this person receives the strongest possible sanctions, as was the case in the early-season match against Chelsea."

On the 6th, in the match between Tottenham and Crystal Palace, Tottenham won 1-0. Son Heung-min was substituted off the field in the 44th minute of the second half.

At that time, a person presumed to be a Crystal Palace fan made a gesture of pulling the eyes, which is a derogatory action towards East Asians.

There was also a spectator who showed Son Heung-min the middle finger.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

This is not the first time Son Heung-min has faced racial discrimination. In August last year, during a match between Tottenham and Chelsea, a Chelsea fan made the eye-pulling gesture towards Son Heung-min as he was moving to take a corner kick. The man was fined ?726 (approximately 1.13 million KRW) and banned from attending football matches for three years.

In the match between Tottenham and Liverpool held on the 1st, when Tottenham was trailing 1-3, Son Heung-min attempted a tackle on a Liverpool attacker around the 7th minute of the second half. Upon seeing this, a commentator from the British broadcaster Sky Sports referred to Son Heung-min as practicing "martial arts." This remark could also be interpreted as a derogatory comment towards the Asian player Son Heung-min.