At a time when the anti-racism debate is at its peak, Real Madrid find themselves at the wrong end of matters for once.
The situation began when star defender Dean Huijsen shared a questionable screenshot on his Instagram, one that Chinese users found racist in terms of mocking the eyes of Asians.
It was a photo of an Asian individual with two comments that clearly made fun of the eyes.
“Even the Chinese call him Chinese.”
“You could blindfold him with dental floss,” the comments on the screenshot, which has since been deleted from the defender’s account, read.
An apology from the club
Now, as confirmed by AS in a recent report, Real Madrid have released an official apology from the player on their official Weibo account, a social media platform mainly used in China.
“I sincerely apologise to my Chinese friends. I previously reposted, unintentionally, content that included offensive messages. It was completely unintentional and I regret the discomfort caused,” the statement reads.
Huijsen issues apology statement over social media post. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)
While the club’s prompt response must be acknowledged, several Chinese fans have been left bitter and demand that the apology be drafted on international social media for the world to see as opposed to the China-specific Weibo.
It is not the first time Real Madrid have been trapped in such a situation of racism against Asians, with a notable previous incident coming in 2024 when a club fan was called out for singing a song that was vulgar and against the Chinese.
At a point where the club themselves are leading a battle against racism, especially with Vinicius Jr., it is vital that they ensure their campaign stays spot-free.
After all, they have reiterated multiple times that they stand strong against racism of any type.