Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jul 6
FFF Seeks Legal Action Over Senator's Racist Attack on Mbappe, Who Scored France's 1-0 Win
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jul 6

FFF Seeks Legal Action Over Senator's Racist Attack on Mbappe, Who Scored France's 1-0 Win

3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jul 6

Summary

  • The French Football Federation said it has reported Paraguayan senator Celeste Amarilla to the public prosecutor’s office, seeking legal proceedings over racist comments targeting Kylian Mbappe.
  • Mbappe answered Monday with a statement calling Amarilla “despicable” and accusing her of “blatant racism,” saying she had overshadowed Paraguay’s World Cup run and shamed her country.
  • Amarilla, 61, posted after France’s 1-0 last-16 win that Mbappe was a “colonised Cameroonian” and also used insults about his appearance, intelligence and background across Instagram and X.
  • The row followed Saturday’s heated match, decided by Mbappe’s penalty, and adds to scrutiny of racist abuse around France’s team during the tournament.

Insights

Will a senator's racist attack on Mbappe lead to real sanctions from FIFA or her own government?
With racist abuse surging at the World Cup, are football's anti-racism campaigns just empty gestures?