Willem II has officially apologised to Chinese player Wang Bohao after a spectator was filmed making a racist gesture at him. The incident took place during a 1-1 draw in the Eerste Divisie, the second tier of Dutch football.
In the 84th minute of the game, shortly after Wang had been shown a yellow card, a fan in the home stands was caught on video performing a “pulling eye corners” gesture. This action is widely condemned as a racist insult toward people of Asian descent.
Willem II response and investigation
The club released a statement late on Monday confirming they had identified the incident through match footage. Willem II officials have already reached out to FC Den Bosch and the player to express their regret.
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“Willem II Football Club has become aware of a racist incident in the stands during Sunday’s match against a player from FC Den Bosch,” the club stated. “The club takes this incident very seriously.”
The side added that they explicitly oppose all forms of discrimination. They are currently conducting a detailed investigation using the recorded footage to determine the appropriate punishments for the individual involved.
Wang, a Chinese under-23 international who joined Den Bosch on loan in August, has received full backing from his current club. FC Den Bosch issued its own statement describing the event as “painful.”
“What happened to our player Wang on Sunday, we find very unpleasant. Making a pulling eye corners gesture because a player is Asian is not a joke, nor is it competitive rivalry. This is simply racism,” the club said.
Football authorities in the Netherlands have been working to increase sanctions against fan misbehaviour, and Willem II has promised to continue working with stakeholders to ensure a safe environment for all players.
