"Racism" vs. "Did You Not See It?": Jeonbuk Coach's Hand Gesture Sparks Controversy

Coach Thanos's Eye Gesture Sparks Controversy
Referees Association Alleges "Racism"
Club Responds: "Gesture Meant 'Did You Not See It?'"

On the day Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors won the K League 1 championship, controversy erupted over allegations of racism regarding the actions of a foreign coach. While the club maintains that the incident had nothing to do with racism, the Korea Professional Football Referees Association has announced plans to file a complaint with FIFA.

On November 12, the Korea Professional Football Referees Association issued a statement saying that Jeonbuk coach Thanos (registered name, real name Mauricio Taricco) had made racist gestures and derogatory remarks toward referee Kim Woosung, and that the association would report the incident to FIFA.

The issue arose during the match between Jeonbuk and Daejeon Hana Citizen at Jeonju World Cup Stadium on November 8. In stoppage time of the second half, after a handball by Daejeon led to a penalty kick for Jeonbuk, coach Thanos repeatedly protested to the referee and was issued a yellow card.

Jeonbuk Thanos coach is making a gesture of pointing to his eye with his finger. Photo by Yonhap News

Even after the penalty kick was confirmed through VAR, coach Thanos continued to display agitated behavior, prompting referee Kim to send him off. At this point, coach Thanos made the controversial gesture of pointing to his eyes with both index fingers.

The referees association claims that coach Thanos made a "slant-eye" gesture toward referee Kim, which is widely recognized as a racist act mocking the small eyes of East Asians. The association stated, "Any words or actions based on a referee's race, origin, or appearance can never be justified for any reason. This is a direct violation of the safety and dignity of all referees and a serious incident that undermines the values and international credibility of Korean professional football."

The association also demanded that the K League immediately initiate disciplinary proceedings against coach Thanos and Jeonbuk. It further announced its intention to file complaints with FIFA and other relevant organizations.

However, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors refuted the allegations, stating that coach Thanos's actions were in no way related to racism. The club explained that the gesture was intended to mean "Didn't you see it too?" as a protest against the decision. A Jeonbuk official said, "Touching his eyes was not meant as a racist gesture, but rather to indicate 'Didn't you see it too?'" and added, "We will explain this clearly to the K League."

The K League is currently reviewing the incident based on reports submitted by the referee assessor, the match supervisor, and referee Kim's statement of facts, all of which were submitted on November 10. The league has also requested that the club submit a written explanation by November 13. After considering the opinions of both sides, the disciplinary committee will decide whether to proceed with further action.