The Spanish women’s national team has released a statement in which it apologizes for a video posted on social media that showed players mocking the Maori haka. The video, which was posted Monday on the team’s official Twitter account, was met with a strong backlash from the American-led Powhiri ceremony traditionally performed by the Maori before a match.
In the statement, the team said: “We are deeply sorry for the misunderstanding that the video has caused, and we want to apologize to all those who have felt hurt. We respect and admire the Maori culture and their traditions, and it was surely not our intention to show any lack of respect for their customs.”
The team added that it had removed the video from its social media accounts and hoped to clear up any misunderstandings. The Spanish Football Federation also said it will investigate to make sure nothing like this happens in the future.
We accept the apology and any expressions of regret from the Spanish women’s national team as sincere and heartfelt. Respect for other cultures is key in developing a unified society, and we take comfort in knowing that the misunderstanding was unintentional and that the Spanish team vowed to raise awareness of other cultures in the future.
