"As regards to what happened today, it was not my intention to disrespect anybody, or a country or race, but if anybody interpreted it that way, I am sorry," AFP quotes Cardona as saying in a video posted on the Colombian team's Twitter account.
"I am not an aggressive person and that moment in the match has been badly interpreted," the 24-year-old said.
His apologies refer to the insulting hand signal the half-back made during Friday's exposition match with the team of South Korea in Seoul.
Edwin Cardona was caught on camera trying to make a slant-eyes gesture during a minor scuffle between the two teams in the second half of the match, when another Colombian player tried to bring a South Korean footballer to his feet. The sign, which was immediately made public, has been condemned as racist by South Korean captain Ki Sung-yueng.
everyone out here talking about Edwin Cardona's racist gesture but no one is talking about James' terrible dive. For shame James! pic.twitter.com/BiuBk7sdO0
— Back To Blazers (@palmquac) 10 ноября 2017 г.
"I thought the Colombians played a physical, rough game today, but it can happen in football," Ki said. "But racist behavior is absolutely unacceptable. Colombia has world-class players, and I was extremely disappointed to see such action."
I cannot accept this racism gesture towards South Korea by Colombian national football player Edwin Cardona. If you want to be recognized as a gentleman, you need to apologize to whole S.Koreans who watched yesterday’s A match. pic.twitter.com/8l6XRgm9Ba
— Jaehwan Cho 조재환 (ZDNet Korea, 지디넷코리아) (@hohocho) 10 ноября 2017 г.
Twitter users have called it idiotic and apologized for the Colombian player.
Colombia’s Edwin Cardona expressing his idiocy with a racist gesture during the game against Korea. #smh pic.twitter.com/d9GVlbYKB1
— Steve Han (@RealSteveScores) 10 ноября 2017 г.
To all Koreans who are able to read this: In a lot of Colombians name, I sincerely apologize for that stupid, immature and racist act from Edwin Cardona.
— Hana~ 💙 (@Nanis_chan_) 10 ноября 2017 г.
Please don’t take it as all Colombian are that way. FIFA will take charge of it.
Again, I’m so sorry.#Korea #Russia2018
The Colombian football association "sincerely" apologized over the incident to its South Korean counterpart, according to South Korean news agency Yonhap.
Expecting a lengthy ban for Colombia’s Edwin Cardona after this gesture towards a South Korean player… pic.twitter.com/T5PZ7RM0dc
— Escojar (@Escojar) 10 ноября 2017 г.
