Former Premier League defender Mauricio Taricco has denied accusations that a gesture he made toward a referee in South Korea was racist, offering to step down from his role after being suspended over the incident.
The 52-year-old Argentine, currently assistant coach to Gus Poyet at K League champions Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, received a five-match suspension and a fine after league officials concluded he made a “slant-eye” gesture during a recent fixture.
Taricco, who previously played for Ipswich Town and Tottenham Hotspur, described the situation as “a misunderstanding” and volunteered to resign from his position at the club.
“I have lived and worked in many countries alongside many different people and have never had issues relating to culture or race,” Taricco said in a statement released by Jeonbuk on Tuesday. “I have always considered that a blessing.
“But now, despite all the explanations I have provided, the context, cultural meaning and intent behind my actions have been ignored, and I have been branded a racist by so-called ‘authorities’ based on a single misunderstanding.”
Jeonbuk stated that their internal review supported Taricco’s contention, concluding that “it is unreasonable to interpret this as an act of racial discrimination”.
The incident occurred after Taricco was shown a red card by referee Kim Woo-seong earlier this month, following his protests that Jeonbuk should have been awarded a handball penalty. According to reports, Taricco shouted the Spanish word for “racist” at the official before placing his fingers at the corners of his eyes and pulling them back.
Referee Kim later reported the gesture to the K League’s disciplinary committee, which ultimately ruled that Taricco’s actions amounted to racist behaviour.
