Defender’s apology has now also been criticised because it was posted only on a Chinese platform
Real Madrid defender Dean Huijsen has apologised on social media for sharing content that is offensive to Asian people.
The player shared a photo of an Asian person with comments that alluded to their eye shape. It received backlash from Chinese people online who felt insulted.
Huijsen’s apology was posted on Madrid’s Weibo account in Chinese. Weibo is one of the largest social media channels in China, with over half a billion active users monthly.
“I sincerely apologise to my Chinese friends,” Huijsen said in the statement. “I previously forwarded content that included offensive messages unintentionally. It was completely unintentional, and I regret the distress caused.”
However, the apology has now also been criticised because it was posted only on Weibo and has not been shared either by Huijsen or by Madrid on any of their other social media accounts.
China has one of Madrid’s biggest fan bases, with over 100 million supporters in the country.