AP-The photo, which has been running as a newspaper spread in Spain since Friday, shows all 15 players making the gesture on a basketball court adorned with a Chinese dragon. The photo was part of a publicity campaign for team sponsor Seur, a Spanish courier company, and is being used only in Spain.
"It was something like supposed to be funny or something but never offensive in any way," said Spain center Pau Gasol, who also plays for the Los Angeles Lakers. "I'm sorry if anybody thought or took it the wrong way and thought that it was offensive."
Point guard Jose Manuel Calderon said the team was responding to a request from the photographer.
"We felt it was something appropriate, and that it would be interpreted as an affectionate gesture," Calderon, who plays for NBA's Toronto Raptors, wrote on his ElMundo.es blog. "Without a doubt, some ... press didn't see it that way."
The OCA, an organization representing Asian-Pacific Americans, also found the photo disturbing. "It is unfortunate that this type of imagery would rear it's head at a time that is supposed to be about world unity," George Wu, the group's deputy director, said in a statement.
The Spanish women's basketball team also posed for photo doing the same thing, and four members of Argentina's women's Olympic football team were shown making similar faces in a photograph published last week.
Gasol said it was "absurd" people were calling the gesture racist.
"We never intended anything like that," he said.
The Spanish basketball federation declined to comment Wednesday. "The players explained what happened," Villanueva said. "We think that's enough."
"It was something like supposed to be funny or something but never offensive in any way," said Spain center Pau Gasol, who also plays for the Los Angeles Lakers. "I'm sorry if anybody thought or took it the wrong way and thought that it was offensive."
Point guard Jose Manuel Calderon said the team was responding to a request from the photographer.
"We felt it was something appropriate, and that it would be interpreted as an affectionate gesture," Calderon, who plays for NBA's Toronto Raptors, wrote on his ElMundo.es blog. "Without a doubt, some ... press didn't see it that way."
The OCA, an organization representing Asian-Pacific Americans, also found the photo disturbing. "It is unfortunate that this type of imagery would rear it's head at a time that is supposed to be about world unity," George Wu, the group's deputy director, said in a statement.
The Spanish women's basketball team also posed for photo doing the same thing, and four members of Argentina's women's Olympic football team were shown making similar faces in a photograph published last week.
Gasol said it was "absurd" people were calling the gesture racist.
"We never intended anything like that," he said.
The Spanish basketball federation declined to comment Wednesday. "The players explained what happened," Villanueva said. "We think that's enough."
It's not the first time Spanish sports has encountered questions over racist attitudes, and the photo comes at a time when Madrid is vying to host the Olympics.
"We're surprised by the remarks of racism," said Juan Antonio Villanueva, the communications director for the city's 2016 Olympic bid. "Spain is not a racist country -- quite the opposite."
Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton was subjected to abuse at a Barcelona circuit in February, while former Spain coach Luis Aragones also used a racist remark about France striker Thierry Henry to motivate one of his players. Monkey chants rained down on England's black players during an international friendly against Spain in a match played in Madrid in 2004, soon after Aragones' outburst.
The basketball federation had just signed a four-year contract extension with Chinese clothing brand Li Ning shortly after arriving in the Chinese capital for the games.
"We have great respect for the far East and its people, some of my best friends in Toronto are originally Chinese, including one of our sponsors, the brand Li Ning," Calderon wrote. "Whoever wants to interpret it differently is completely confusing it."
Frank Zhang, Li Ning's director of government and public affairs, played down the incident.
"We don't think this is an insulting gesture to the Chinese," Zhang said. "In fact, the gesture shows that the Spanish team is so humorous, relaxing and cute. They sat around a dragon pattern, which we think showed respect to the Chinese.
"Li Ning Ltd. will not change any business plans with the Spanish team because of this," Zhang added. "People should focus on great Olympic Games instead of something else."
"We're surprised by the remarks of racism," said Juan Antonio Villanueva, the communications director for the city's 2016 Olympic bid. "Spain is not a racist country -- quite the opposite."
Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton was subjected to abuse at a Barcelona circuit in February, while former Spain coach Luis Aragones also used a racist remark about France striker Thierry Henry to motivate one of his players. Monkey chants rained down on England's black players during an international friendly against Spain in a match played in Madrid in 2004, soon after Aragones' outburst.
The basketball federation had just signed a four-year contract extension with Chinese clothing brand Li Ning shortly after arriving in the Chinese capital for the games.
"We have great respect for the far East and its people, some of my best friends in Toronto are originally Chinese, including one of our sponsors, the brand Li Ning," Calderon wrote. "Whoever wants to interpret it differently is completely confusing it."
Frank Zhang, Li Ning's director of government and public affairs, played down the incident.
"We don't think this is an insulting gesture to the Chinese," Zhang said. "In fact, the gesture shows that the Spanish team is so humorous, relaxing and cute. They sat around a dragon pattern, which we think showed respect to the Chinese.
"Li Ning Ltd. will not change any business plans with the Spanish team because of this," Zhang added. "People should focus on great Olympic Games instead of something else."
So the Spanish Olympic Basketball Men and Women's team thought it would be cute to push their eyes into a slant to mimic the Chinese and had the gall to call it a "compliment". (I love the dragon on the floor too by the way guys. Makes it look real "authentic".)
What is wrong with these people? What shocks me is that they're so ignorant they don't even see what's wrong after their ignorance is so clearly displayed to the world. Especially after having a history of being racist during sports. I don't see how this is going to boost Madrid's 2016 Olympic bid in their favor.
I mean everyone knows I'm an Asianophile and practically worship and admire almost everything from the far east, but even I felt a slight tinge of embarassment and even stupid when imitating stereotypes in front of the race.
Like the time I went shoe shopping with my mother and we picked out these cute little flat shoes. I exclaimed "They're like geisha shoes!!" and shuffled around the shoe department with my hands clasped which made my mother roar in amusement. She asked me to do it again and when I started to I stopped immediately in my tracks as I saw an Asian man looking at men's shoes less than 10 feet away. I don't know if he saw me or not but I whispered to my mother, "I can't" and shook my head in his direction. She then stopped and looked and exclaimed "Rasheeda! That's terrible you oughta be ashamed of yourself." and walked away while I stood there mouth agape and left to simmer in my own embarassment.
So yeah, ok. That's flattering guys. Real flattering. About as flattering as a bunch of white basketball players wearing gold chains with fried chicken drumsticks in their hands saying their paying homeage to the black basketball players they admire.
I guess though if they signed an endorsement with Rocawear though, it'd make everything ok. :-/ *rolls eyes*
I guess though if they signed an endorsement with Rocawear though, it'd make everything ok. :-/ *rolls eyes*
No comments:
Post a Comment