Ezequiel Lavezzi Accused of Being Racist for This Image

The forward Ezequiel Lavezzi has found himself in a controversial situation in Chinese soccer. A photo published by his club Hebei China Fortune, in which the forward is seen making a slant-eyed gesture, has brought him a series of criticism for a supposed act of racism.

This weekend, the Chinese club, which he joined in February 2016, published a promotional image showing Lavezzi smiling and pulling both ends of his eyes with his fingers. Many fans of his current team felt offended because they classified the act as racist.

In response to this situation, Hebei China Fortune issued a press release explaining that there was no intention to offend anyone. "The club has spoken with Lavezzi about this incident and he has stated that it was not his intention to discriminate against anyone. He wants to apologize for the negative effects that this photo may have caused. We did not realize the possible misunderstandings and controversies that this photo could have caused," it reads.

Lavezzi also spoke out to further clarify the situation and apologize to the fans. "Regarding this issue, personally I never had any bad intention, much less the intention of humiliating a person of Chinese nationality. (...) If this photo has caused discomfort and confusion to the fans, I apologize a thousand times. I have learned from this experience and promise that it will not happen again," he expressed.