How did Hebei striker Ezequiel Lavezzi find himself at the centre of social media racism storm?
Argentina international issues apology through his Chinese club after publicity photos cause outrage on social media
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Argentina international Ezequiel Lavezzi has issued an apology through his Chinese club after publicity photos that showed him making a slant-eyed pose caused outrage on social media.
“The club has discussed this matter with Lavezzi, who said he meant no racial offence and apologised deeply for any harmful impression that it created,” the club said in a statement on Sunday.
It said some of the photos in the promotional shoot taken earlier this year were meant to be in a “light-hearted” and “wacky” vein.
The pictures drew condemnation on China’s Twitter-like Weibo platform, with outraged users demanding Lavezzi be punished or even tossed out of the league.
“This is an extremely abominable gesture that discriminates against Chinese people. Get him out of here!” said one posting.
The club did not announce any punishment for Lavezzi. No direct statement from the player was immediately seen.
A Chinese company, ImagineChina, which works as an official photo partner for the CSL, put out a separate statement saying the offending photos were shot in Spain in February when the team was conducting winter training there.
ImagineChina said the photographers had no intention of producing photos insulting to Asians.
Hulk and SIPG denied any attack took place, and the Brazilian later took to Weibo to protest that he was being slandered, saying: “I like and respect all of the Chinese people.”
The Lavezzi episode recalled a controversy involving the Spanish national basketball team ahead of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, when the eventual silver medallists made the same eye gesture during a photo shoot for a sponsor.
