J.League club bans teen for waving banana at Brazilian player

Good.

It's too bad the rest of Europe can't get with the times and do the same for the racist fans in their countries.

“From an objective point of view, it is highly possible.”

Well said.

I don't get it... What does a banana have to do with Brazil? Plantations and stuff? I think there may have been times in my life where Ive had a banana in my hand and waved at someone with it.

What an idiot, First for his stupid act and second for thinking bananas have anything to do with Brazil.

Not as much to do with Brazil but with Renato being dark skinned. Perhaps this kid has seen this type of behavior in the media.

“There is strong suspicion,” he said about the possibility of banana-waving being construed as racial discrimination.

Ya think? Good that decisive action was taken.

I just don't get how a banana is an insult to a Brazilian. Back in the heyday of the various ethnic movements a banana meant yellow (Asian) on the outside and white on the inside. Similarly an oreo meant black (African American) on the outside, white on the inside and a coconut was brown on the outside white on the inside The insult was often hurled by movement individuals or groups who wanted Asians or Blacks or Latinos to think and act in a way that they thought was in synch with their ethnicity's cultural, economic and political interests -- as if there is just one prescribed way an Asian or Black or Latino should think and act . It was a form of movement peer pressure and conformity. Recently Mr. Gary Locke, former US ambassador to China (and a 3rd gen Chinese American) was labeled a rotten banana in one Chinese media editorial ostensibly because he didn't know how to speak Chinese, he exposed the severity of pollution and. he supported Chen Guangcheng (the blind activist) to take refuge in the US. Apparently to some forces in CHINA Locke was not Chinese enough! So Asians and bananas I get. But Brazilians? Was the fan making a statement about Banana Republics???

“There is strong suspicion,” [Yokohama president Akira Kaetsu] said about the possibility of banana-waving being construed as racial discrimination.

I commend the J League for taking swift action here, but I get tired of the wishy-washy language I so often here in these situations.

Instead of saying that there is "strong suspicion" that this might be construed as racial discrimination, why couldn't the league have resolutely said "This is an obvious instance of racial discrimination and is unacceptable to us." They would have much more credibility if they would avoid such non-committal language.

Shameful act of racism. Good to hear this piece of garbage was banned for life. For those not seeing the banana connection, it is likely this dropkick copied some fellow soccer fan idiots in Italy and Spain who have been known to throw bananas at colored players - I guess insinuating a monkey - often accompanied by ape noises. Disgusting.

I wonder why so many soccer fans are so immature.

Ohhh, thanks BurkuminDes for the explanation. Okay, now I get it. Yes, it is thoroughly disgusting and immature behavior!

A teenage Yokohama F-Marinos supporter has been banned for life by the J.League club after waving a banana toward a visiting Brazilian player in a suspected racist taunt.

Life time ban for a banana? I think the punishment is too heavy for the act.

i'm glad the j-league is taking racism to heart. but why punish the f-marinos? they dealt with the matter swiftly and publicly, whereas urawa had this festering problem.

Good solid response by the administrators. It will be interesting to see if the fight against racism picks up momentum heading towards the next World Cup.....

They would have much more credibility if they would avoid such non-committal language.

No really, its just a banana. He's a dumb teen that saw it on TV and might not even know what it means. If this starts to be a more frequent problem in J-league, then they can use stronger language.

You don't need to be a mental heavyweight to understand that the dipstick was equating the player's skin color with bananas AND not with nationality.Duh!

Where's my banana? Idiot.

Racist ADULT footballs fans are everywhere in Europe and are treated (unwillingly) as part of the game. Why does the J League have to be feel they are morally superior by banning a kid for life?

European leagues should ban their racist fans, too. Set a deadline, if anyone crosses it, bye for life.

J. League OUGHT to nip it in the bud.

WhirledPeasAUG. 25, 2014 - 09:18AM JST

I just don't get how a banana is an insult to a Brazilian.

Maybe, something special.....

@NeoJamal

Racism shouldn't be treated as part of the game but I don't think the kid should be banned for life. Ban him until he is an adult, or something. It does seem like the league is embarrassed and are just trying to cover themselves up.

Racist ADULT footballs fans are everywhere in Europe and are treated (unwillingly) as part of the game. Why does the J League have to be feel they are morally superior by banning a kid for life?

Because they are doing the right thing.

A lifetime ban may be a little excessive though. Give him a few years.

Turbo They should indeed nip it in the bud. This is no tiddly offense but outright offensive racism. Football fans seem to cling on to all sorts of outdated views. It must be stopped at all costs. Waving a bannana indeed!!! who would have thought such outright discrimination and racism was possible in modern Japan!!!!

You have got to be kidding me. This is the most utterly stupid thing I've read in a long time. What complete nonsense.

Vulgar racism against foreigners are becoming a common incident in Japan and it's sad to see kind and respectful people turning into ugly hate-mongers demonstrating there ignorance.

hashtag WeAreAllMonkeys

http://metro.co.uk/2014/04/29/why-the-social-media-banana-campaign-is-unintentionally-very-cleverly-helping-the-fight-against-racism-4712781/