Former world number two tennis player Paula Badosa has apologised after being accused of racism over a picture that appeared to show her pulling her eyes back with chopsticks while playing in China.
The picture was reportedly posted on Instagram by her coach Pol Toledo Bague after she lost in the semi-finals of the China Open on Saturday.
In it, Badosa, 26, was in a restaurant holding chopsticks up to her eyes and squinting.
Among the criticisms levelled at her, one social media user asked if the picture was “supposed to be funny”. Another accused her of “casual racism”, while a third asked if she thought “I have Asian friends” was a “legitimate defence for racism”.
One comment simply said “I am offended” and another user called it “quite shocking” that Badosa herself had liked the photo.
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Badosa initially responded saying she had not been “imitating Asian people”, but was instead “playing with my face and wrinkles. I love Asia and I have many Asian friends. They are the kindest”.
She then posted an apology on X which read: “Really sorry didn’t know this was offensive towards racism [sic]. My mistake. I take full responsibility. This mistakes [sic] will make me learn for next time.”
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That message appeared on Monday, and on Tuesday morning Badosa – who is now the world number 15 – withdrew from this week’s event in Wuhan saying she had gastroenteritis.
In another post, she said: “There are times that are managed better and others worse… I continue to learn from each one of them. I continue to rise from each situation. I remain proud of each step forward.”
In 2008, before the Beijing Olympics, Spain’s basketball federation published an advert for their men’s team that showed players using their fingers to pull at the sides of their eyes.
