Rafael van der Vaart has issued an apology after claiming Japan's players 'all look alike' during his analysis of a World Cup match. The former Netherlands international made the comment while critiquing Micky van de Ven's defending in the draw between Netherlands and Japan.
Controversial Remarks
During the broadcast, Van der Vaart said: 'He loses him completely. You can see him moving around. If you are the one marking him, then you are responsible for your man. Look, he's completely unmarked. Van de Ven is nowhere to be seen. He is completely free to make that header.' He added: 'They do all look alike of course, perhaps he thought that.' An awkward silence followed in the studio, as Van der Vaart continued: 'That's a joke of course. I'm scared to say anything at all.'
Apology Statement
Following backlash, Van der Vaart released a statement saying: 'I understand that some people found my words hurtful. I sincerely regret that. If I have upset people because of this, I offer my apologies. That was never my intention. I take the reactions that have arisen seriously and understand that words can be interpreted differently. Therefore, I think it is important to make it clear that there was no racist or discriminatory intent behind my statement. I hope this explanation provides more clarity about my intentions and the context in which the remark was made.'
