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The seven-match suspension given to Tottenham’s Rodrigo Bentancur for a racial slur aimed at teammate Son Heung-min has sparked important conversations about racism against East and South East Asian players and fans. This incident shines a light on a troubling trend of increasing discrimination both on and off the pitch.
Anti-racism group Kick It Out (KIO) reports a big jump in abuse cases against East and South East Asian folks in football. Check out these eye-opening stats:
“Fans are sending a clear message that they won’t stand for discrimination. It’s time for football to take real action.”
While KIO hasn’t named the affected players, some well-known East and South East Asians in the Premier League include Son Heung-min, Hwang Hee-Chan, and Japan’s Kaoru Mitoma, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Daichi Kamada, and Yukinari Sugawara.
Son has faced racism often since joining the Premier League in 2015. The abuse ranges from nasty chants to social media slurs, with incidents involving fans from Manchester United, Chelsea, and others between 2019 and 2023. Even during the pandemic, racist posts linked Asian players to the coronavirus.
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“While we accept the guilty finding, we think the sanction is too harsh and have appealed its length.”
Teammate Ben Davies added:
“As a team, we’ve moved on, but it’s super important to take these issues seriously.”
Kevin Yuan, a Chinese Premier League content creator, shared that he regularly faces racist abuse while covering matches. He recalled an incident outside Wembley during the Champions League final when Real Madrid fans sang offensive chants aimed at his colleague:
“These incidents feel like part of the job. It happens almost weekly, and it’s really unsettling.”
Yuan’s experience is shared by many East Asian football fans in the UK, who often feel out of place at matches.
Maxwell Min, from the Frank Soo Foundation, which honors England’s first non-white international player, believes the issue partly comes from stereotypes about East and South East Asians in football:
“There’s this idea that Asians don’t play football or are just ‘tourist fans.’ These biases ignore the reality of rising representation through players like Son and Mitoma.”
Despite these challenges, Min sees hope in the success of players like Son Heung-min, whose achievements inspire future generations:
“Son’s Golden Boot win shows that Asian players can not only compete but thrive at the highest level.”
Racism in football is a deep-rooted issue that needs ongoing efforts from clubs, governing bodies, and fans to tackle. As awareness grows, so must the action to ensure the sport truly embraces its global and diverse community.
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