'Banana + Gorilla' Emoji Sparks Racial Discrimination Controversy... Cheongju's Vandeira Issues Hangul Statement: "No Intent to Insult"

*This content was translated by AI.

Foreign player Vandeira (25) of K League 2 club Cheongju FC became embroiled in a racial discrimination controversy after sharing a social media post following the match against Suwon Samsung. Vandeira posted an explanation in Hangul, stating, "There was absolutely no intent to insult any specific individual."

Cheongju drew 2-2 with Suwon in a home match at Cheongju Stadium on the 1st as part of the Hana Bank K League 2 2026 Round 20.

For Cheongju, it was a particularly disappointing match. They took a 2-0 lead with Garcia's opening goal in the 28th minute of the first half and Jung Jin-woo's second goal in the 7th minute of the second half, but could not maintain their two-goal advantage.

Suwon also displayed tremendous resilience in the final stages of the match. Heise scored a brace to level the score at 2-2. In the 11th minute of stoppage time, it seemed as though Dubitskas would complete a dramatic comeback with a header that struck the back of the net.

However, referee Seo Dong-hwan ruled that Dubitskas had pushed a Cheongju defender while attempting the header, calling an offensive foul. Suwon's potential equalizer was disallowed, and the referee immediately blew the final whistle to end the match.

Following the match, several controversies arose, including strong objections from Suwon manager Lee Jeong-hyo regarding the officiating.

Vandeira's social media post was among them. After the match, Vandeira shared multiple banana emojis on his Instagram story along with clips from the Suwon game. Another post featured an emoji combination in the format 'banana + banana = gorilla'.

Bananas and gorillas are expressions that can be used in a racially discriminatory context. As some football fans expressed displeasure through online communities, the controversy surrounding Vandeira's post spread further.

In response, Vandeira immediately posted an explanation written in Hangul.

Vandeira explained, "The post was a story shared by my African friend living in Portugal to celebrate that I recorded assists in my recent two matches."

He continued, "In Portugal, assists are often expressed with bananas. I simply shared my friend's congratulations with gratitude and had absolutely no intent of racial discrimination or insulting any specific individual."

He also mentioned his family background. Vandeira stated, "My parents are from Africa, and I have grown up with a family that embraces diverse cultures and backgrounds. Therefore, racial discrimination and discriminatory expressions are values I never aspire to uphold."

However, he acknowledged that some viewers may have felt uncomfortable despite his intentions. He said, "Regardless of my intent, I am taking seriously the fact that there are people who felt uncomfortable after seeing this post."

He added, "While playing in Korea, I have learned about Korean culture, emotions, and the importance of social responsibility. Going forward, I will act more carefully and strive to show myself as a player who does not disappoint many people."

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*This content was translated by AI.