A Paris Saint-Germain F.C. fan permanently banned by the club for racist remarks toward Lee Kang In

A fan who made racist remarks toward Lee Kang In has been permanently banned by Paris Saint-Germain F.C. 

On October 31, the French newspaper 'Le Parisien' reported, "Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) has permanently banned a fan who made racist remarks toward Korean player Lee Kang In. The fan attempted to apologize, but it was to no avail."

The incident occurred on October 28, during PSG’s “Le Classique” match against Olympique de Marseille in the 9th round of the 2024-2025 French Ligue 1 season, which PSG won 3-0. Before the match, PSG held an open training session, during which the racist behavior directed at Lee took place.

According to multiple French media outlets, a fan approached Lee Kang In during the open practice and called him “chinois” (Chinese, derived from Chinese Cap). A video on social media shows a fan attempting to greet Lee Kang In by shouting, “Hey! Chinois!” Lee Kang In, seemingly unaware of the comment, smiled and high-fived the fan.

French outlet 'Onze Mondial' condemned the incident, calling it “appalling behavior.” The outlet noted, “At a time when the actions of Marseille fans are under scrutiny, a PSG fan referred to Lee Kang In as Chinese, which is behavior that should never be tolerated in football.” PSG Vibe shared the video, lamenting, “Fans came to support the players ahead of the PSG vs. Marseille game. It’s crucial to show respect and basic courtesy toward players.”

'Le Transfert' also addressed the issue, stating, “A supporter hurled racist remarks at Lee Kang In, subjecting him to an insult.” Awareness of this issue is growing in France, with widespread media coverage.

Sadly, this isn’t the first time Lee Kang In has faced such remarks. 

While playing for Spain’s RCD Mallorca, he was called “Chino” by then-coach Javier Aguirre during training, and Mallorca even shared the video, sparking controversy. The term “Chino,” which means “Chinese” in Spanish, is commonly used as a derogatory term for all East Asians. 

Lee Kang In, who spent his childhood in Spain, is well aware of this context and once spoke about it on the YouTube channel 'Shoot for Love,' saying, “Wherever you go, East Asians are always called Chino,” as he recounted his own experiences with racism.

On October 31, Le Parisien reported that “PSG officially announced the expulsion of the supporter who made racist remarks toward Lee Kang In from their official supporter group.” PSG stated, “Our club does not tolerate any form of racism. The supporter later apologized to the player but has been permanently banned.”

Le Parisien added, “Through this incident, PSG has shown its commitment to continue fighting against racism and hate.”