Brazil and Japan have been enjoying a fantastic relationship over the years, but something weird happened during the recent Davis Cup, tie between the two nations.
What happened?
Guilherme Clezar was facing Yuichi Sugita in Osaka. After successfully challenging a line call, Clezar stretched his eyes in an apparent criticism of the line judge. Unfortunately, the gesture was caught on camera, and it went viral all over the world. The Brazilian lost the match 6-2, 7-5, 7-6, but the biggest problem he had to deal with was the criticism that he faced following his gesture.
Essa foi a reação de Guilherme Clezar quando um juiz de linha errou uma marcação contra o brasileiro. pic.twitter.com/37pbcPLuif
— Alexandre Cossenza (@saqueevoleio) September 15, 2017
Brazilian #DavisCup player Guilherme Clezar in hot water with the ITF over racist gesture against Japan.
WATCH: https://t.co/HehUQPPPXC pic.twitter.com/fX7JuR6zgr— 7Sport (@7Sport) September 16, 2017
The communicate
Guilherme was fined $1,500 by the International Tennis Federation. The Brazilian released the following communicate
“I want to underline that I never had the slightest intention to be aggressive, racist, prejudiced or anything of the type against Asian people.
We have been extremely well received here, and I have an excellent relationship with all tennis players from many different countries on the circuit.
Even though I didn’t mean any prejudice, I recognize the gesture doesn’t ring true with the attitudes of respect, enthusiasm, solidarity, emotion and many other things that sport means to us and I want to express my regret and my most sincere apologies.”
He was right to apologize.
