Satanosphere

In awkward international news this week, the Spanish national basketball team has been recognized for it’s inability to show any racial sensitivity whatsoever towards this year’s Olympic host nation, China. Britan’s Guardian newspaper initially broke the story:

The advert features two large photographs, one of the men’s basketball team, above, and one of the women’s team. Both squads pose in full Olympic kit on a basketball court decorated with a picture of a Chinese dragon. Every single player appears pulling back the skin on either side of their eyes. The advert carries the symbol of the sport’s governing body.

No one involved in the advert appears to have considered it inappropriate nor contemplated the manner in which it could be interpreted in China and elsewhere. No offence was intended by the advert, but whether the Chinese see it that way is a different matter and it is likely to provoke more criticism at a delicate time for Spanish sport. The failure to recognise the potential consequences is striking in the light of the problems Spain has had with issues of race and the Spanish Olympic committee’s continued desire to host the Games in Madrid in 2016 or 2020.

Oops. You can see the offending photo here along with an explanation by NBA and Spanish national player, Jose Manuel Caldron of why it is really all just a big misunderstanding. Whatever. I just really wanted an excuse to post that great photo from Vice Magazine’s Dos & Don’ts. xoxo

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