Former Tottenham midfielder Rafael van der Vaart has issued an apology after making a comment widely condemned as racist during a live television broadcast.
The 43-year-old was working as a pundit for Dutch broadcaster NOS TV during the Netherlands’ 2-2 draw with Japan at the World Cup.
Van der Vaart made the remark after Micky van de Ven failed to track Koki Ogawa’s run, which led to Japan’s late equaliser in the match.
While analysing Van de Ven’s defending, Van der Vaart said: “They all look alike, of course, maybe he thought that.”
The comment drew immediate criticism, with anti-discrimination organisations moving quickly to condemn the former Netherlands international.
Van der Vaart, who earned 109 caps for the Netherlands and featured in the 2010 World Cup final, attempted to address the backlash directly.
He said: “It was never my intention to offend, hurt, or discriminate against anyone. I oppose racism in all its forms and have respect for people of every background, ethnicity, and culture.”
Van der Vaart added: “I understand that some people may have found my words offensive or hurtful. I sincerely regret that. If my comment has caused pain or upset, I would like to offer my heartfelt apologies. That was never my intention.”
Anti-discrimination charity Kick It Out joined forces with the Frank Soo Foundation, a charity that supports East and South East Asian communities, to release a joint statement condemning the remarks.
The statement read: “It’s hugely disappointing to hear former players peddling racist slurs about Japan’s team and then double down by trying to defend the comments as a joke.”
The organisations also stressed that intent does not eliminate the harm caused by such language, particularly given the scale of the World Cup’s global audience.
The joint statement continued: “Even if he claims there was no racist intent in what he said, the comments can still have an impact on those involved, and the wider East and South East Asian community, as we have seen with previous examples directed towards players.”
Kick It Out and the Frank Soo Foundation used the incident to call on broadcasters to take greater responsibility over who appears on their platforms and how they are prepared.
Their statement added: “The World Cup attracts massive global TV audiences, so it’s always important that guests are careful with their language and that broadcasters take responsibility for those appearing on their shows, whether that is through additional education or training.”
The incident has reignited debate around the treatment of East and South East Asian players and communities within football media coverage worldwide.
