On November 8, when Jeonbuk faced Daejeon Hana, the Argentine assistant was sent off by referee Kim Woo-seong for vehemently protesting a penalty decision. Taricco later placed his index finger next to the corner of his eye, a gesture the referee interpreted as racist and reported to the league’s disciplinary committee.
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On November 19, the committee banned Taricco for five games and fined him 20 million won ($13,646).
The 52-year-old, who played for Tottenham between 1998 and 2004 and also played for Ipswich Town, West Ham and Brighton in England, denied any racist intent and insisted he was asking the referee if he had seen the incident.
“The context of the situation and the cultural expression and meaning that I have continually tried to explain have been ignored,” Taricco said in a statement issued by Jeonbuk on Tuesday. “In a moment of misunderstanding, the supposed authorities called me a racist.”
Taricco, assistant to former Chelsea and Tottenham star Gus Poyet, will leave after the FA Cup final against Gwangju on December 6.
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“My career as a footballer must continue in a place that guarantees security, respect, peace and equality before the law,” he stated.
Jeonbuk, who clinched his 10th K League title in October with five games remaining, will appeal the committee’s decision, which he said has caused the coach psychological distress.
“The club thoroughly and objectively reviewed the match footage, the coach’s statements and other testimonies, and considered it unreasonable to consider the incident as racially discriminatory,” the club said in a statement.