Former world No. 2 tennis player Paula Badosa issued an apology after a photo surfaced online showing her pulling her eyes back with chopsticks while dining in China, a gesture widely recognized as mocking East Asian people.
The image, posted by her coach Pol Toledo after her semifinal loss at the China Open, quickly drew accusations of racism.
The 26-year-old Spanish athlete, currently ranked No. 15, initially defended herself, stating that the gesture wasn’t meant to imitate or mock Asian people. “I was playing around with my face and wrinkles,” she explained, adding, “I love Asia… and have plenty of Asian friends. They are the kindest.” Despite this defense, the photo was soon deleted.
Recognizing the impact of her actions, Badosa later posted a more formal apology on X (formerly Twitter), saying, “Really sorry, I didn’t know this was offensive [or] towards racism. My mistake. I take full responsibility.” This apology came ahead of her scheduled appearance at the Wuhan Tournament, from which she later withdrew due to a gastrointestinal illness.
Badosa’s incident is the latest in a troubling pattern of Spanish athletes making this offensive gesture. Ahead of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Spain’s men’s and women’s basketball teams appeared in a full-page advertisement pulling the corners of their eyes, a gesture emblazoned with a Chinese-style dragon on the basketball court. Neither the athletes nor the sponsors appeared to anticipate the backlash.
Similarly, in 2008, the Spanish Tennis Federation posted a photo of several players making the same gesture, with a caption that read, “We are prepared for China.” When called out, basketball star Pau Gasol, who was part of the controversial ad, apologized, stating, “It was just a bad idea… If anyone feels offended by it, we totally apologize for it.”
Badosa’s apology reflects a growing awareness of cultural sensitivity in sports, but also highlights how repeated instances of such gestures continue to spark outrage and demand accountability in the international sports community.
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