AFC Asian Cup: racist abuse ‘violated human rights’ of Japan goalkeeper Zion Suzuki, coach Hajime Moriyasu says
- Social media abuse came in week that also saw racist incidents in European football, prompting Fifa chief Gianni Infantino to call for tougher sanctions
- ‘If it has caused Zion harm, then he has the full support of the whole team,’ Hajime Moriyasu says. ‘This cannot happen in a diverse world’
Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu said he “strongly objected” to those who “violated the human rights” of Zion Suzuki, after the goalkeeper received racist abuse on social media following last week’s shock loss to Iraq at the AFC Asian Cup.
Moriyasu’s team, the highest ranked at the tournament in Qatar, play their final group game against Indonesia on Wednesday, and anything other than a victory to banish memories of Friday’s defeat would qualify as a major shock.
Born in the United States to a Japanese mother and a Ghanaian-American father, Suzuki, 21, told media after playing against Iraq that he accepted criticism of his performance but “would like people to stop making racist comments”.
Suzuki, who appeared to have disabled comments on his Instagram page on Monday, has six caps, after a debut in a 6-0 victory over Hong Kong at the 2022 East Asian Football Championship.
“Zion is an important player for Japan, and I strongly object to the people who violated his human rights and racially abused him,” Moriyasu said.
“If it has caused Zion harm, then he has the full support of the whole team. I want him to feel comfortable, and to be able to concentrate on his football. This cannot happen in a diverse world – through football we must bond together.”
The episode came before incidents of racism at matches in Italy and England over the weekend.
AC Milan players walked off the field after racist abuse directed at their goalkeeper Mike Maignan during a game at Udinese on Saturday. “Still the same problems and still NO solution,” Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe posted on social media in response.
On the same day, Sheffield Wednesday fans were seen making racist gestures towards Coventry City midfielder Kasey Palmer during a match in the English Championship.
Fifa president Gianni Infantino called for more stringent sanctions than the current three-step process, under which a match can be stopped, re-stopped then abandoned.
“We have to implement an automatic forfeit for the team whose fans have committed racism,” Infantino said.
Japan had won 10 straight matches before slumping against Iraq, and Moriyasu said his players were “fully focused and united” in trying to get back on track to target a record-extending fifth Asian title.
Indonesia lost to Iraq, but defeated Vietnam in their second game, leaving a team ranked 146 in the world on the cusp of last-16 progress.
Suzuki, who is expected to start the game in Doha, added in the wake of the grim fallout from the Iraq match: “I know I am being held to a higher standard, as the goalkeeper of the Japan national team, when I concede goals and we lose games.
“I accept that, and if I can use that in the next game, there will not be a problem.”
