Scots blamed for 'racism' of Korean footballer

• Ki makes the gesture that incensed Japan and which he later said was aimed at racist Scots fans. Picture: YouTube

Rather than face the music for impersonating a slack-jawed monkey scratching its face - interpreted in both Japan and Korea as mockery of the Japanese - Ki decided the best form of defence was attack and blamed the racist abuse he suffered at the hands of football fans in Scotland for his action.

He said: "That performance was not directed at Japanese people. When I play at Celtic, our opponents' fans call me a monkey and the celebration was towards people who make such racist remarks."

The incident comes two months after the SPL launched an investigation into the behaviour of a group of St Johnstone fans, who barked at him and sang: "Who ate all the dogs?"

The Perth fans' taunts, on 30 October at a game at St Johnstone's McDiarmid Park, which Celtic won 3-1, were understood to be a reference to the use of dogs in some Korean cuisine.

Last night, Ged Grebby, chief executive of campaign group Show Racism the Red Card, said Ki had been guilty of racism in making the gesture to Japanese fans - and they accused Ki of attacking Scottish fans to deflect criticism from his own actions.

Mr Grebby said: "We'd take any incident of racism in Scotland seriously. But I find it strange that Ki links his action to racism in Scotland and see this as him trying to deflect criticism. He is a player who should know better and who has made an error."

• Ki must back up Scottish racism claim with evidence

But Tommy Dornan, president of Greenock Celtic supporters' club, defended the player's claims last night, saying racism continued to be a problem in Scotland.

He said: "It's a sad thing that in this day and age that racism rears its ugly head in football. But I find it astounding that Show Racism the Red Card has got involved when they chose not to when Celtic fans were insulted by the singing of the 'Famine song' and also by the fact they did little when Japanese Celtic player Shunsuke Nakamura was getting racist abuse"

A Korean Football Association spokesman said Ki's intention had been to highlight the treatment he had received in Scotland.

During the aftermath of the game against South Korean's arch rivals at the Al Gharafa stadium on Tuesday, Ki, 21, had at first refused to explain the meaning of the gesture, and then said it had no particular meaning.The gesture sparked outrage in Japan, where being called a monkey by a Korean is a grave insult. The story dominated Japanese television and rumblings about official punishment began.

It was at this moment that Ki said his monkey act was aimed at fans in Scotland, thousands of miles away, who had insulted him in November last year by making monkey noises.

A spokeswoman for the South Korean Embassy in London said they did not want to comment on the incident.

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) confirmed that Fifa had not contacted them over the incident, and tournament director Tokuaki Suzuki admitted no legal action would take place, saying the respective national associations had already discussed the matter.

Mr Suzuki said: "We are aware of the goal celebration, but we don't think it will have an impact on any country.

"The issue, according to my understanding, has already been resolved after communication between the Japan Football Association and the Korea Football Association.

"AFC will not take any legal action in this matter."