Pepe Reina caught in race row after Spanish TV advert pulled
• Ad depicts Liverpool goalkeeper meeting tribe in jungle
• Complaint leads to ad being pulled from national television
Offensive content starts at 1:01
Another Liverpool player was at the centre of a race row on Wednesday after a Spanish advert featuring the goalkeeper Pepe Reina was pulled after a complaint about its depiction of racial and sexual stereotypes.
The video, an ad for the multinational insurance firm Groupama, was withdrawn from Spanish television following a complaint from Operation Black Vote, a non-political campaigning group. Liverpool have been widely criticised for their handling of the Luis Suárez affair this season, which resulted in the forward receiving an eight‑match ban for racial abuse of the Manchester United defender Patrice Evra.
The ad depicts Reina meeting a tribe in a jungle scene with the Liverpool player – whose name translates as queen in Spanish – attracting the attentions of the leader.
Simon Woolley, the OBV director, said: "I'm shocked on so many levels. Firstly, how would the Spanish feel if the English stereotyped Spanish people as backward, stupid, and animalistic homosexuals? Secondly, what does this say about Pepe Reina? The Liverpool goalkeeper has lived and worked in the UK for nearly a decade, does he think it's OK to characterise black people this way? Does he think his black team‑mates will laugh at his joke?"
After taking the advert off national television in Spain, Groupama said: "Groupama Seguros does not consider that this advert contains either offensive nor any discriminatory content."
Liverpool have thus far declined to comment.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/feb/29/pepe-reina-race-row-tv-advert
• Ad depicts Liverpool goalkeeper meeting tribe in jungle
• Complaint leads to ad being pulled from national television
Offensive content starts at 1:01
Another Liverpool player was at the centre of a race row on Wednesday after a Spanish advert featuring the goalkeeper Pepe Reina was pulled after a complaint about its depiction of racial and sexual stereotypes.
The video, an ad for the multinational insurance firm Groupama, was withdrawn from Spanish television following a complaint from Operation Black Vote, a non-political campaigning group. Liverpool have been widely criticised for their handling of the Luis Suárez affair this season, which resulted in the forward receiving an eight‑match ban for racial abuse of the Manchester United defender Patrice Evra.
The ad depicts Reina meeting a tribe in a jungle scene with the Liverpool player – whose name translates as queen in Spanish – attracting the attentions of the leader.
Simon Woolley, the OBV director, said: "I'm shocked on so many levels. Firstly, how would the Spanish feel if the English stereotyped Spanish people as backward, stupid, and animalistic homosexuals? Secondly, what does this say about Pepe Reina? The Liverpool goalkeeper has lived and worked in the UK for nearly a decade, does he think it's OK to characterise black people this way? Does he think his black team‑mates will laugh at his joke?"
After taking the advert off national television in Spain, Groupama said: "Groupama Seguros does not consider that this advert contains either offensive nor any discriminatory content."
Liverpool have thus far declined to comment.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/feb/29/pepe-reina-race-row-tv-advert
