Maradona's racist gesture angers Koreans

Argentinean football legend Diego Maradona, left, in a stand before the FIFA World Cup 2018 group D preliminary round game between Argentina and Iceland in Moscow on Saturday. EPA

By Jung Min-ho

Football legend Diego Maradona's racist gesture toward young Korean fans is drawing a strong backlash in Korea.

Maradona, 57, has been accused of making a “clearly racist gesture” at the Spartak Stadium on Saturday, after Korean fans shouted and waved at him in joy.

ITV presenter Jacqui Oatley, who was there as part of the broadcaster's coverage of the game between Argentina and Iceland, claimed on Twitter that Maradona “pulled his eyes to the side in a clearly racist gesture. All of us who saw it are stunned.”

Other reporters, including Seema Jaswal, backed her claims.

“I sat right next to Jacqui and saw Maradona's gesture. He should know better. The lads filming him were so excited to get a picture of him and that was his response. Very disappointing,” Jaswal tweeted.

Thousands of Koreans have criticized Maradona on social media in anger.

“You are old enough to know better,” one Korean fan, surnamed Choi, wrote on Facebook. “It is so funny that you think you can ridicule other people's appearances.”

Another fan wrote, “I hope Argentina will fail to reach the top 16.”

Many Koreans lashed out at Maradona's ignorance, saying they will take the issue to FIFA, which itself faces embarrassment over the racism claims.

“FIFA should investigate the case and punish him after saying that it will take racism seriously,” one netizen said. “If it is confirmed as a fact, the Korean government should never allow him to come here for any reason.”