Japan Goalkeeper Faces Racial Abuse Following Asian Cup Errors

Doha (AFP) – Japan goalkeeper Zion Suzuki revealed on Monday that he had been subjected to racial abuse on social media following his team’s unexpected defeat to Iraq at the Asian Cup. This incident comes in the wake of two previous instances of racist abuse directed at players during matches in Italy and England.

Suzuki, whose father is Ghanaian-American and mother is Japanese, was responsible for a mistake that led to Iraq’s opening goal in Doha. He had also made errors in their previous game against Vietnam. Despite accepting criticism for his performances, the 21-year-old goalkeeper urged people to stop making racist comments.

“I’m not going to let it get to me,” Suzuki stated defiantly, addressing reporters ahead of Japan’s final group game against Indonesia. “Instead, I want to respond by producing strong results on the pitch.”

On Monday, comments appeared to have been disabled on Suzuki’s Instagram account in response to the racial abuse he endured.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino recently called for global stadium bans to be imposed on fans who engage in racist behavior, as well as “automatic forfeits” for teams whose supporters hurl racist abuse. Infantino’s call to action followed incidents in Italy and England over the past weekend.

During AC Milan’s 3-2 victory over Udinese, fans aimed monkey chants at France goalkeeper Mike Maignan, resulting in a temporary halt to the game. Additionally, Coventry midfielder Kasey Palmer accused Sheffield Wednesday fans of subjecting him to similar racial abuse during their Championship clash, which Coventry won 2-1 on Saturday.

Suzuki, who made only his sixth appearance for Japan against Iraq, expressed confidence in his abilities as the national team prepares to face Indonesia on Wednesday, still working towards securing qualification for the last 16.

“As the goalkeeper of the Japan national team, I understand that I am held to a higher standard, especially when I concede goals and we lose games,” Suzuki acknowledged. “I accept this responsibility, and if I can utilize it in the next game, there won’t be any issues.”

As the Asian Cup progresses, it is crucial to address the issue of racial abuse both on and off the field. Suzuki’s determination to overcome and respond to the racist comments he faced should be commended, and efforts must be made to ensure a safe and inclusive environment for all players.