Former Tottenham defender steps down following accusations of making a racist gesture

Former Tottenham defender Mauricio Taricco has become embroiled in major controversy over an alleged racist gesture, prompting him to step down from his coaching position.

Taricco, who joined Spurs in 1998 and made 130 appearances across four years at White Hart Lane, later moved into coaching with roles at Sunderland, AEK Athens, and Real Betis. Most recently, he has been working under former Tottenham midfielder Gus Poyet at Jeonbuk Motors in South Korea.

The 52-year-old was fined and given a five-match suspension for allegedly making a racist gesture during a November 8 match against Daejeon Hana Citizen. During a confrontation with the referee over a penalty decision, he reportedly shouted “racista” and made a slanted-eye gesture.

Taricco has now confirmed he will resign, saying South Korean football authorities have unfairly labelled him a racist. He insists the gesture was misinterpreted. In a statement (via The Sun), he said he has worked with people of many backgrounds without issue and described the situation as a misunderstanding that ignored cultural context. He added that he wishes to continue his career somewhere he feels “safe, respected, and equal before the law,” and thanked Jeonbuk, the players, and the supporters for their backing.

Although the K-League dismissed Taricco’s explanation—he claimed he was indicating the referee hadn’t clearly seen a handball—Jeonbuk Motors intend to challenge the punishment. The club stated that they do not believe there was any intent of racial discrimination and hope the appeal process brings a fairer judgement.