Argentine football player who made antisemitic gesture released by team
New Chicago midfielder Arnaldo “Pitu” González reprimanded after he put his hand on his head and pointed to his genitals in front of the fans of the Atlanta team
The Argentine football player who made an antisemitic gesture after being ejected by a referee from a game against a team with many Jewish supporters was let go by his team on Friday.
New Chicago midfielder Arnaldo “Pitu” González on March 8 put his hand on his head, imitating a yarmulke, and pointed to his genitals in front of the fans of the Atlanta team.
Founded in 1904 in the Villa Crespo neighborhood of Buenos Aires, Atlanta has historically received support from Jewish fans in that area and featured several Jewish players and administrators.
González had previously been ordered by the Argentine football association to miss the last matches of the season.
He apologized after the incident in a video posted on New Chicago’s Twitter account, saying he was “very ashamed.”
The league’s ruling in its disciplinary case involving González expresses “concern” about the infiltration of racist elements in football, and specifically its negative effect on teenagers.
González had also violated an Argentine law which prohibits actions carried out based on ideas or theories of superiority of a race, or a group of people of a certain religion, or origin.
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