Sporting Gijón official apologizes for Women’s Day video of girl cleaning lines off soccer field

MADRID (AP) — An official at Spanish soccer club Sporting Gijón has apologized for a video meant to commemorate International Women’s Day that sparked widespread criticism. The short video featured a young girl painting a woman symbol on its field. But the opening sequence showed the girl on her hands and knees removing the original white lines with a brush. Gijón’s mayor Carmen Moriyón asked publicly for it to be taken down. Sporting’s communications director Carlos Andrés Llamas apologized and said he was responsible. Second-tier Sporting re-posted an edited version of the video on X that does not include the opening sequence. Spain has for years been one of the most active countries in celebrating International Women’s Day on March 8.