In the final minutes of a World Cup group‑stage game in Guadalajara, a Mexican supporter was captured on video performing an offensive slanted‑eyes gesture towards a South Korean opponent. The clip, shared by popular YouTuber Yoon Su‑jín, garnered over 65,000 comments and 120,000 reposts, and quickly sparked outrage across Twitter, Instagram and other platforms.
The gesture, widely understood as a racist insult to East Asians, was traced to Ulises Fernando Bernal Miramontes, a fan working as president of the College of Geomatics and Topographic Surveying Engineers of Jalisco. After backlash from fans—many of whom emphasised that the act was not representative of Mexican culture—Bernal released a public apology on Sunday, stating that he deeply regretted the offence caused and would reflect on his responsibilities in such moments.
Following the apology, the organization immediately suspended Bernal from his office. The incident highlighted how cultural ignorance can flare even on a global stage like the World Cup, underscoring the need for greater sensitivity and accountability among spectators and officials alike.
Despite the controversy, the match concluded with South Korea securing a 2‑1 victory over the Czech Republic, a result that fans celebrated while the dialogue around racism in sports continued to intensify.
