Home > Sports > Football

K League suspends Jeonbuk assistant coach for gesture toward ref

Published: 20 Nov. 2025, 10:59 Updated: 20 Nov. 2025, 13:44

The K League has suspended Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors assistant coach Mauricio Taricco for five matches and fined him 20 million won ($13,600) after determining his recent hand gesture constituted a racist act known as the “slant eye” gesture, shown here. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

The K League has suspended Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors assistant coach Mauricio Taricco for five matches and fined him 20 million won ($13,600) after determining his recent hand gesture constituted a racist act.

The K League held its 14th disciplinary committee meeting on Wednesday at its headquarters in Jongno District, central Seoul, where the sanctions were finalized.

The incident occurred during added time in the second half of a match between Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors and Daejeon Hana Citizen at Jeonju World Cup Stadium on Nov. 8. Taricco protested referee Kim Woo-sung's decision not to call a handball and gestured toward his eyes.

Kim reported the action in his post-match report, describing it as a racist gesture aimed at him. He also submitted a written statement to the disciplinary committee.

Disciplinary committee members review documents ahead of the K League’s 14th disciplinary committee meeting at its headquarters in Jongno District, central Seoul, on Nov. 19. Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors assistant coach Mauricio Taricco faced disciplinary action over a hand gesture made during a match against Daejeon Hana Citizen on Nov. 8 that sparked allegations of racism. [YONHAP]

“Video footage shows Taricco placing his index fingers near the center of his eyes and pulling them outward to narrow his eyes,” the committee said. “This gesture is widely recognized as a racist insult against certain ethnic groups and has been sanctioned multiple times by FIFA."

“Taricco’s written statement and video evidence indicate that he also repeatedly shouted the Spanish word racista [racist] and used profanities before and after the gesture, further aggravating the situation.”

The panel ruled that Taricco’s action was a racially discriminatory act that caused offense.

However, the decision has sparked controversy, as some argue the gesture lacked racial intent and public opinion remains divided. Jeonbuk said it is consulting with the coach and considering whether to appeal the ruling.

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 PARK LIN [[email protected]]