By Lucy Parker
At this year’s Summer Olympics it’s not so much as to what happens on the field of play, but what happens off. While doing my daily scanning of celebrity gossip websites I came upon this photo shown below.
The picture of the Spanish National Basketball team in a promo shot for the 2008 Olympics. The members of the Spanish National team are indeed using a racially derogative gesture by using their forefingers to “squint” their eyes. Oh, and did I mention that this year’s Olympics are being held in Beijing, China?
Interestingly, no one in Spain initiated the deserved criticism of the nationally run ad. Spanish sports history has had its fair share of racism. With the most recent and noted occurrence happening when the Spanish national soccer team coach referred to soccer great and FC Barcelona player, Thierry Henry, as a “black shit”. However, the majority of these instances go unnoticed to those living outside the sphere European sport world. I don't know what marketing genius was behind this ad, but it won't go unnoticed for long in the sphere of Olympic sports.
The Spaniards are set to play China tomorrow, August 12th. I would like to see a Chinese rebuttal promo. I imagine it having something to do with the Euro-mullet and those damn Alladin pants.
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