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Jeonbuk assistant coach accused of making racist gesture in match against Daejeon

Published: 13 Nov. 2025, 15:18 Updated: 14 Nov. 2025, 13:39

Mauricio Taricco, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors assistant coach, making a gesture during a K League 1 match against Daejeon Hana Citizen at Jeonju World Cup Stadium in Jeonju, North Jeolla, on Nov. 8. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors assistant coach Mauricio Taricco is facing accusations of making a racist gesture during a K League 1 match against Daejeon Hana Citizen in Jeonju, North Jeolla, on Saturday.

The Korea Professional Football Referee Association (KPFA) said in a statement on Wednesday that the coach made a discriminatory gesture toward referee Kim Woo-sung during the fixture.

The incident occurred after a Jeonbuk attack reached Daejeon's penalty area, where a loose ball was flicked into the arm of a Daejeon midfielder directly in front of the referee. Despite the obvious contact, Kim allowed play to continue for a while, sparking a strong protest from Taricco, who was booked for his histrionics. Kim then reviewed the sequence with VAR and awarded the penalty, but Taricco continued to assail the referee, appearing to ask a fellow coach to translate before gesturing at his eyes.

Kim walked back toward the touchline and engaged with the Argentinian before giving him his marching orders.

The referees' association described Taricco’s actions as a clear violation of FIFA’s disciplinary code and the ethics regulations of the Korea Football Association for making what it perceived to be a racist gesture.

“Any language or behavior directed at a referee based on race, origin or appearance cannot be justified under any circumstances,” the KPFA said. “It is a direct affront to the dignity and safety of all referees, and it severely undermines the values and global credibility of Korean professional football.”

The KPFA called on the K League to begin immediate disciplinary proceedings against Taricco and Jeonbuk, and said it would submit a formal complaint to FIFA and other relevant governing bodies.

The club, however, has denied the accusation.

“He touched his eyes not with any racist intent, but to mean ‘Didn’t you see it?’ We will explain the situation clearly to the league,” a Jeonbuk representative said.

The K League has requested that the club submit a formal explanation by Thursday after reviewing the referee assessor’s report, the match supervisor’s report and a written statement by Kim submitted on Monday.

If the K League deems it necessary after reviewing both sides’ explanations, it will open a disciplinary committee.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY PIH JU-YOUNG [[email protected]]