Spanish Basketball Teams' "Slit-Eyed" Gestures In Olympics Advertisement (PHOTO)

It's tough to know what Spain's basketball teams were thinking when they chose to collectively make "slit-eyed" gestures (above a stenciled dragon) while posing for a pre-Olympics advertisement.

The Guardian reports:

Spain's Olympic basketball teams have risked upsetting their Chinese hosts by posing for a pre-Games advert making slit-eyed gestures. The advert for a courier company, which is an official sponsor of the Spanish Basketball Federation, occupied a full page in the sports daily Marca, the country's best-selling newspaper.

The advert features two large photographs, one of the men's basketball team, below, and one of the women's team. Both squads pose in full Olympic kit on a basketball court decorated with a picture of a Chinese dragon. Every single player appears pulling back the skin on either side of their eyes. The advert carries the symbol of the sport's governing body.

Read the full article here.

-OR-

Read more about the Olympics on HuffPost's Olympics Big News Page.

Related: Spanish Tennis Team Also Strikes "Slit-Eyed" Pose (PHOTO)

Comments

[Aristontoles]

I don't remember any of you offended by this, which appeared much before the infamous picture:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5DMc2TfahA

Why weren't you offended. Hmmm... How curious.

[RuiSilva]

This whole question is plain silly. This is all due to american political correctness (or should Isay hypocrisy?)

The chinese didn`t say a thing about the photo. The only people who talked about the photo was the spokesman (or should I say spokesperson?) for a chinese-american organisation in the US... In other words a lobyist.

And I don`t think there is any racist intent on the photo. They were even identifyeing themselves with the chinese in a funny way.

About the alleged racism of spanish sports fans, I should say that such manifestations are common in european sports and are quite harmless And people shout about race but could make it about sex When there are suspicions of o sportsman being gay (eg, a football player) the supporters of the rivals team usually don`t stay silent about it. (oh.. I´m just offended gay rights lobbyist, now. Shame on me!

And those events happen in all Europe: England, Spain, Germany... You name it. It`s common!

The americans don`t like it, too bad for them. Americans should stop being so touchy-feely about those issues. Especailly when they have so many racial issues much more important at home.

Grow up, guys!

[chaochochin]

oh, c'mon !! FACTS about racism in spain:

Spain is the first country in the world in relative terms in international adoptions in total, 5,423 boys and girls in 2005 compared with 5,541 the previous year, which means an average of 12.3 adoptions per 100,000 inhabitants. Of the 5,423 children adopted by Spanish parents, 2,753 were born in China.

Since 2000, Spain has presented one of the highest rates of immigration in the world (three to four times higher than the average United States, eight times more than France. The foreign population in Spain amounted to 4,144,166 people on January 1, 2006, representing 9.3 percent of the total population reached 44,708,964 ( mostly from Africa and Latinamerica ).

Spain is the first country in the world that made a massive legalizacion of illegal inmigration, in 2006.

Public health is free for domestic and foreign pepople, and is much better, than, for exaple, the british healt system.

18% of donated organs in the European Union are Spain, which continues to lead the world with 35.1 donors per million inhabitants. Of course, donations are strictly anonymous and can proceed and go from/to coloured people, white ones, asians, foreigners or nationals.

Finally, althoug is a diferent manner or view the question, How can a country be racist when has voted ( and approved) the gay and lesbian marriage, wich is, in my opinion, an elementary human right.

[Elemental]

These changes you describe are highly criticised here by the Spanish people. The current government decided to make these changes but the population is still not accepting immigration, and so on. This was the big debate and accusations made to Zapatero by the conservative party (which was supported by nearly 50% of the country). So I think that Spain is changing but rather slowly and they are not used to have immigrants in their country, a recent massive immigration does not reflect the open mind of a population! Have you been to Spain? I moved here 1 year ago and as an immigrant myself, I find it hard to fit in here. People are not racist (or at least not more than other countries) (although I hear a lot of comments like do not go to this school because there are a lot of immigrants, don´t go to this GP because they are south American and so on...) I think that a lot of people here are unaware of other cultures, naive and extremely proud; they need to grow out of it… Slowly, the more immigration will benefit this country and I think occasions like this one could help them realise what the outside world can think… Although here they still believe that this gesture is absolutely normal and kind… (which is most probably worse)

[daddigrace]

Not racist?? So Spain's olympic tennis team aren't mocking Asians and are just doing their version of the Batusi:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/olympics/2559578/Beijing-Olympics-Second-Spanish-team-photographed-making-slit-eyed-gesture.html

[chaochochin]

Of course, "The Guardian", Tegraph and the Sun.. what to say ........ they were truly "heroic" defending the killing of Brazilian citizen at the gates of the metro at the hands of the police, becouse he seemed an al-qaeda terrorist ( becuse his dark skin, obiously).

check your sources.

[chaochochin]

Or perhaps british are doing his version of: you're racist and i'm simply a joker ( AHAH):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBlePJ1n2LM

[chaochochin]

i'm spanish

After reading carefuly this forum...after calificatives as 'the coquistadores' ... 'siesta' ... 'moros'... it's quite strange ( but finally logic), but the more histerical are the flames...more racist they are !!!!. A lot of people here are 'racist people against racism'.

As someone has said here , in a very centered way, "everyone should be offended by it but to totally crucify the team is going overboard". And, i can add: crucify a country ???

The question is: ¿ Are that 15 guys racist?. Or maybe all we want they seem racist because our own grounds ( the media lobby, you guys in your ( whith all my respects) 'narcissistic anti-racism' flames ?

This debate seems to be totally overvalued. Bacause this forum seems To go to the line:

You know, that 15 guys are racist
SO That guys are spaniards
SO Spain is a racist country
SO Yeah, they are coquistadores, insular people, down educated because the macarena, siesta and "comerce of slaves to the States for ages" (!!!!???? UHHHH???)
SO Whow, i think we the americans are really cool !!
SO Really, really, we the amercans are not racist!!
SO Let's go, Everybody here, crucify all that cretins spaniards and have an apotheosic and patriotic orgasm

I only can say: 15 guys made slit eyes while houndreds of innocent iraquis died every day because oil. God save the american news manipulation. God save The Huffington Post.

[cantmakethisup]

what?

so your thesis is this: they can't be racist because . . . look Iraq!

right. manipulation.

[chaochochin]

No. i don't have a thesis. It's only a opinion, as yours. I'm not a doctor. And are you a doctor?. So anybody here can done morality lessons.

My opinion is included just in your words: "The can't BE racist because...". So it's true for you, they ARE racist.

A slit eyes pose is 'naif', childish, stupid. Only that. If Kux kux Klam do it, obviously it's a racist proclamation. Because is intention what counts.

If it was an error ( and it was, and not the players really, but the sponsor for use it in ads ) an apologize is accurate. And they did it.

But headlines like this http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2008/aug/12/spainbeatchina, are, simply, manipulation. And desire to harm to people.

Oh brother, how pharisees...

[xlwc]

As a chinese american, I've had the slanty eye thing done towards me back on the elementary school yard more times than I can remember.

It's not a particularly happy memory.

All I know is, I'm not going to be rooting for spain, and I'm going to think twice
before putting it on my vacation itinerary.

I found the wording of the apology disappointing.

[chaochochin]

oh, c'mon !! FACTS about racism in spain:

Spain is the first country in the world in relative terms in international adoptions in total, 5,423 boys and girls in 2005 compared with 5,541 the previous year, which means an average of 12.3 adoptions per 100,000 inhabitants. Of the 5,423 children adopted by Spanish parents, 2,753 were born in China.

Since 2000, Spain has presented one of the highest rates of immigration in the world (three to four times higher than the average United States, eight times more than France. The foreign population in Spain amounted to 4,144,166 people on January 1, 2006, representing 9.3 percent of the total population reached 44,708,964 ( mostly from Africa and Latinamerica ).

Spain is the first country in the world that made a massive legalizacion of illegal inmigration, in 2006.

Public health is free for domestic and foreign pepople, and is much better, than, for exaple, the british healt system.

18% of donated organs in the European Union are Spain, which continues to lead the world with 35.1 donors per million inhabitants. Of course, donations are strictly anonymous and can proceed and go from/to coloured people, white ones, asians, foreigners or nationals.

Finally, althoug is a diferent manner or view the question, How can a country be racist when has voted ( and approved) the gay and lesbian marriage, wich is, in my opinion, an elementary human right.

[scapegoat4rent]

Then explain away all the incidents in soccer matches in Spain when there were black players in opposing team? And the national team soccer coach calling black players racist names. And the incident when Formula One racing had their race in Spain when one of the top driver was half black.

So yes on classifying the whole team as racist. And you too.

[maying]

they may not have racism in mind when they posed but it sure was offensive. i am asian (but not chinese) and when we make "fun" of the chinese we do the hand to the eyes thing (stupid since my maternal great grandparents were from mainland china).

everyone should be offended by it but to totally crucify the team is going overboard. spain is a very insular country and they are behind when it comes to political correctness. this is not the first time they have done something offensive towards another culture. some fans of a racing driver painted their faces black because their idol's rival was a black englishman. they didn't think it was offensive. they didn't quite understand why everyone was upset about it.

i guess when one's culture is not as diverse then offensive things happen.

for all its faults, america is a good place to be :)

[cobobs]

More on this story:

http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/beijing/basketball/news?slug=ro-spain081308&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

By and large, they still do not get it, according to the story.

As I said before, it would be interesting to hear from people of Asian descent, particularly those who have emigrated and enjoyed the minority experience. It is quite possible that native Chinese, who have never crossed the borders might not understand.

[MariaErica]

I am extremely saddened after reading some of these posts. This was blatantly racist and it is extremely disheartening to think that people would actually defend these actions. The only way we can ever put an end to racism is through empathy: the ability to put yourself in someone else’s shoes and experience their hardships and pains as if they were your own. And from these posts it is clear we have a long way to go. This is so disappointing.

[RightWingMarine]

How is this racist? So they made their eyeslits more narrow, are we to assume this is a negative trait Asian people have? If another team were to take a siesta would that be racism against the Spanish?

This could be viewed as the Spanish team emulating the Chinese team because they view the Chinese as worthy competitors.

[MariaErica]

I don't follow the line of reasoning behind your analogy. Siestas are not physical traits indicative of a particular ethnic group. Again, with your post and the others it just confirms my statement above. Until you are marginalized because of your race, I do think it would be difficult to see this as racist.

[daddigrace]

There is a photo going around the internet of Spain's tennis team is doing the eye-stretching thing too.

[InofTouch]

and yet Spain beats China in basketball....

I laugh that a bunch anglo-saxans getting angry at Spanards.

[anons]

Oh Spain, it never ends with that country...maybe its residual bitterness from being the centuries long platform from which the Moors culturally and intellectually enriched Europe....who knows. But they are like Europe's belligerent uncle when comes to this kinda stuff

[steamboat]

On the "O'Reilly Factor" tonight, O'Reilly has his 'pinheads & patriots' routine near the end of the show.....The Spanish basketball team was his 'pinheads' of the night for this gesture picture.

BTW everybody, why is your hero Keith Olbermann quiet about this? You don't think he has to walk 'lockstep' (or is it goose-step) with whatever his bosses (NBC) say, do you?

[iseebs]

The picture says:
Hey look we are in China!

That’s all - No need to be shocked.

It’s like wearing a cowboy hat in USA or a sombrero in Mexico.

[cantmakethisup]

thank you to so many of you who know so much more than us to know what we should be offended by. of course, this is exactly the same as a person putting on a blond wig and blue contact lenses because there may have never been historically a more discriminated populace than blond-haired and blue-eyed people. and you think this is just like somebody wearing a cowboy hat? wow. that's unbelievable. i was always a little skeptical about word that spain was particularly a racist culture. but now i'm convinced. and for those who say, how can i say that about an entire culture? do you think that any american group, or those in some other countries, wouldn't understand how racist this was? to a great degree, i agree that there is too much sensitivity on this type of thing. but this crossed the line. and very clearly so. and those who can't see the deep racism of this are, without a doubt, racist themselves. would it be okay, if the games were in a city in africa, for this group to pose in blackface? and that's different how?

[brizzle]

Actually, it's not like that.

It's like a team of Chinese basketballers posing for a picture, holding their eyelids open in a circular fashion.

I'm not even Asian, but this photo is insulting...

[cls105]

i doubt they are as sensitive as americans. moving on..

[YouDisgustMe]

i dont know if i'd go as far as labeling it racist but i do think it's insensitive...i really wonder who came up with this and thought it was a good idea...i also wonder why there was no sensible person to intervene...

[AzRealProgressive]

Nobody from Berkeley or MoveOn escorted the team.

[CrittersRTasty]

Gee whiz....Righten up!

[anons]

now THAT was funny... without being ignorant

[chumleypotts]

Seems the Chinese are okay with it. The only people getting upset over it are thin-skinned Americans who can't see humor in anything, only seething rage.