Former Tottenham Hotspur defender Mauricio Taricco has left his role as assistant coach at South Korean champions Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, following a controversial disciplinary ruling for an alleged racist gesture.
The Incident That Sparked Controversy
The controversy erupted during a heated K League match against Daejeon Hana in mid-November. With Jeonbuk leading 2-1 in injury time, referee Kim Woo-seong initially failed to award a penalty for a handball, prompting furious protests from Gus Poyet's assistant, Taricco.
Even after a VAR review overturned the decision, the 52-year-old Argentinian continued his complaints. He received two yellow cards in quick succession and was sent off. As he left the pitch, Taricco placed his index fingers at the outer corners of his eyes and pulled them back.
Referee Kim interpreted this as a racist 'slanted-eye' gesture mocking people of Asian descent and reported the coach to the league's disciplinary committee.
Disciplinary Action and Appeal
The K League's disciplinary committee upheld the referee's complaint. It stated the gesture was "identical with the so-called slanted-eye gesture that derides people of Asian descent" and was "enough to insult the other person." They noted it matched actions previously penalised by FIFA.
Taricco was handed a five-match ban and a fine of 20 million Korean won (approximately £10,300). The coach and Jeonbuk club appealed the decision, vehemently denying any racist intent.
Taricco argued he was merely covering his eyes to emphasise the referee should have seen the handball foul directly. "With one moment of misunderstanding, I've been labelled a racist by the so-called authorities," he stated.
Jeonbuk supported their coach, saying it would be "unreasonable" to view his behaviour as intentional racial discrimination. However, on Monday, the K League rejected the appeal, finding no issues with the committee's process and no new facts to support Taricco's case.
Historical Context and Fallout
The incident is only the second punishment for alleged racial discrimination in the Korean league's 42-year history. It echoes a 2017 case where Colombian player Edwin Cardona received a five-match FIFA ban for a similar gesture made towards South Korean players during a friendly in Seoul.
Jeonbuk announced that the mental anguish caused by the ruling led to Taricco's decision to depart after the team's FA Cup final this Saturday. The club expressed hope his memory of Korean football would not "remain as a bitter pain."
Some within Korean football have shown sympathy. Jeonbuk attacker Lee Seung-woo defended Taricco, saying, "The coach respects Korea more than anyone else. The judgment that ignores intent and context is far from the truth."
Meanwhile, criticism has also been directed at officiating standards. Sports Donga newspaper highlighted perceived hypocrisy from the Referees' Association, which swiftly demanded punishment while referees themselves face little accountability for widely criticised performance errors.
Taricco, who played for Ipswich, West Ham, and Brighton before a globe-trotting coaching career alongside Poyet, now sees his time in South Korea end under a cloud, though the debate over intent, context, and punishment is set to continue.
