Racism in Football: Rodrigo Bentancur’s Ban Sparks Discussion on Abuse of East Asian Players
The recent seven-game ban for Tottenham’s Rodrigo Bentancur after a racial slur aimed at team-mate Son Heung-min has reignited discussions about racism in football, particularly affecting East and South East Asian players. Anti-racism charity Kick It Out reported a significant increase in racist incidents, with 395 cases logged in the 2023-24 season. The findings reveal that over half of these incidents targeted East Asian players. Kick It Out’s chief executive, Samuel Okafor, emphasized the urgent need for the sport to address this discrimination as fan reports increase.