In September 2020, a Spanish daily sports newspaper ‘Diario AS’ depicted eight rising stars of the Spanish Primera Liga in 3D caricature. The eyes of a Korean player Kang-in Lee and a Japanese player Takefusa Kubo were stretched.

On the other hand, Joao Felix of Portugal and Ansu Fati of Spain, and other four were epxressed with round eyes. The gesture of tearing the eyes to the sides is a demeaning expression for Asians with relatively small eyes.

The digital poster describes as follows: “Find out the difference between the two pictures with your own eyes! Many Asians got furious by the cover(left) of ‘Diario AS’, a spanish daily newspaper on September 11, 2020. If you condone the demeaning of others for being different from you, it will get back to you as hatred and violence.”

We often witness moments of ignorance and exclusion because of the fact that we are different.

And those choices justify hatred and violence without any notice.

‘Diario AS’ portrayed Asians in the form of stretched eyes instead of considering personal characteristics just because they are Asians.

This expression is used to neglect Asians.

If the international community neglects this, it can justify discrimination around the world and spread hatred and violence through it.

Especially when handling sports, the media have the obligation to be aware of the values that sports intend to embody and to exert a positive impact, in compliance with the Article 10 of the International Charter of Physical Education, Physical Activity and Sport. The media have the duty to be well informed of and realize the solidarity, mutual respect and understanding, and respect for people in sports.

With this poster, VANK demand the Spanish media Diario AS dealing with sports treat Asian athletes not as ‘different races’, but as equal beings of humanity.