Spanish Olympic basketball team in ‘racist’ photo row

August 16th, 2008 | 775 Views

A photo of the Spanish men’s Olympics basketball team, using their index fingers as if to slant their eyes, has sparked controversy with Asian rights groups.

The photo, taken for a sponsor of the Spanish basketball team, shows the players making an eye gesture.

The image, showing the players pushing up the outside corners of their eyes, was taken before the team left Spain for Beijing.

News reports on the photo have stirred controversy, particularly outside China. Some have criticized the team for making a racist gesture, an assertion the team denies.

A group that represents Asians in the United States described the photo as “disturbing” and “divisive.” The photo has not been widely circulated in China.

A few people in China have criticized the photo in blogs and online bulletin boards. One wrote “Shame on you!” while another said “Silly Spanish basketball team — look at what they are doing.” Others dismissed it as much ado about nothing. One argued that “they are just trying to be cute.”

One Spanish baketball player, Jose Manuel Calderon, said in a blog on his Web site — www.josemanuelcalderon.com — that the picture has been “interpreted incorrectly.” Calderon is a native of Spain who also plays in the NBA for the Toronto Raptors.

More can be found at

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/08/14/olympics.photo.spain.basketball/index.html

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