Shameless "Ni Hao" Racial Discrimination Against Son Heung-min: Mockery and Autograph Demand... Even an LAFC Fan Was Involved, Drawing Calls for Season Ticket Revocation

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Son Heung-min (34, LAFC) was subjected to racial discrimination by a fan of his own team.

According to foreign media reports, including the New York Post, on the 27th (Korean time), following the conclusion of the 32nd matchday (a 2-2 draw) of the 2026 U.S. Professional Soccer Major League Soccer (MLS) between LAFC and LA Galaxy at BMO Stadium in California, U.S., the previous day, a spectator made racially discriminatory remarks toward Son Heung-min.

A video that spread on social media (SNS) captured a man wearing an LAFC uniform demanding an autograph on his cap from Son Heung-min as he left the field, while repeatedly shouting "Ni Hao," a Chinese greeting. Lumping all East Asians together as Chinese is a discriminatory act containing contempt for Asians. Son Heung-min stared at the spectator with a stern expression for a while before moving on.

The local "New York Post" strongly criticized this as an "insensitive and racist act." Local fans also called for strong disciplinary action from the club, arguing that if the person in the video is a season ticket holder, their eligibility should be permanently revoked.

This is not the first time Son Heung-min, who advanced to the U.S. after playing in Germany and England, has been a victim of racial discrimination. During his time at Tottenham Hotspur, he was also targeted by such practices on multiple occasions. In August 2022, a fan who made an eye-slitting gesture toward Son Heung-min as he went to take a corner kick in a match against Chelsea received a three-year stadium ban and a fine. Similarly, in May 2023, a spectator who made a discriminatory gesture during a match against Crystal Palace was banned from football stadiums for three years.

Even in June of this year, former teammate Rodrigo Bentancur appeared on a local Uruguayan broadcast program and made a racially discriminatory joke suggesting that all Asians look the same, drawing fierce criticism.

The issue of racial discrimination has arisen again in the U.S., extending beyond European stages, placing the chronic ailment of the football world back under scrutiny. Currently, neither the LAFC club nor the MLS office has issued an official statement regarding this incident.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original