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3 clusters · 7 sources · 3 days · First seen · Last updated

Racial abuse incident involving Son Heung-min

Overview

Following a 2-2 draw between LAFC and LA Galaxy at BMO Stadium, professional footballer Son Heung-min was subjected to suspected racial abuse. Footage circulating on social media shows a spectator repeatedly shouting “Ni Hao” at the South Korean player as he exited the pitch.

Observers and local reports, including the New York Post, have characterized the incident as “insensitive and racist,” noting that the use of the Chinese greeting toward a South Korean athlete is often intended to mock or diminish Asian individuals. While fans had called for the spectator to have their season tickets revoked, neither LAFC nor the MLS league office had released an official statement regarding disciplinary actions.

However, the accused individual, a long-time LAFC season ticket holder, has issued a clarification through the ‘LAFC Fans’ channel. He claims the remark was not the Chinese greeting but rather the Spanish term ‘Mijo,’ a shortened form of ‘Mi hijo’ meaning ‘my son,’ intended as a friendly play on Son’s surname. The individual stated he has contacted the club to clear his name. Following this clarification, the original poster who shared the video deleted the post and apologized, acknowledging the incident was a “linguistic misunderstanding.”

Entities

LAFC · BMO Stadium · Son Heung-min · LA Galaxy · Major League Soccer

Timeline

  1. [SPORTS] 3 sources
    LAFC fan denies racial slur allegations against Son Heung-min

    An LAFC fan has denied allegations of racial discrimination against Son Heung-min, claiming he shouted the Spanish term ‘Mijo’ (my son) rather than a Chinese greeting.

  2. [SPORTS] 3 sources
    Son Heung-min targeted by racial abuse during MLS match

    LAFC player Son Heung-min was targeted with suspected racial abuse by a spectator shouting “Ni Hao” following a match against LA Galaxy in Los Angeles.

  3. [SPORTS] 2 sources
    LAFC secures playoff spot amid racial abuse controversy

    LAFC clinched a playoff berth after a 2-2 draw with LA Galaxy, but the match was overshadowed by reports of a spectator directing racialized remarks at Son Heung-min.

Sources

biz.heraldcorp.com · english.hani.co.kr · isplus.com · kyeonggi.com · seoul.co.kr · sportschosun.com · stnsports.co.kr

This summary has been updated 1 time: see revision history