SportsOlympicsanti-asian racism

TV Commentator Makes Incredibly Racist Remark About South Korean Table Tennis Player At Olympics

“Racist comments have no place on public television,” Greek officials said after firing the veteran journalist from his guest gig.
AP
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A sports commentator in Greece who made an on-air remark about a South Korean athlete at the Tokyo Olympics that the station called racist has been fired, the country’s state-run broadcaster said Tuesday.

ERT television said it had ended its collaboration with veteran journalist Dimosthenis Karmiris as a guest commentator following comments he made after Jeoung Youngsik beat Panagiotis Gionis of Greece in men’s table tennis.

Asked about the skill of South Korean table tennis players, Karmiris said “their eyes are narrow so I can’t understand how they can see the ball moving back and forth.”

Jeoung Youngsik, pictured in action at the Olympics on Wednesday, was the subject of racist comments by a Greek TV commentator who got dismissed.
Jeoung Youngsik, pictured in action at the Olympics on Wednesday, was the subject of racist comments by a Greek TV commentator who got dismissed.
Steph Chambers via Getty Images

Several hours later, ERT posted a statement on its website.

“Racist comments have no place on public television,” ERT said in the statement. “The collaboration between ERT and Dimosthenis Karmiris was terminated today, immediately after the morning show.”

Jeoung won the match. He lost a quarterfinal match on Wednesday.

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