07/08/26 07:27:00
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07/08 07:25 CDT Kylian Mbapp condemns Paraguayan senator over racist remarks
after World Cup match
Kylian Mbapp condemns Paraguayan senator over racist remarks after World Cup
match
By The Associated Press
France star Kylian Mbapp on Monday condemned a Paraguayan senator over racist
remarks she made following Paraguay's loss to France in the round of 16 at the
World Cup.
Mbapp called Celeste Amarilla, a senator from Paraguay's Liberal Radical
Party, a "despicable woman" who was "unworthy" of serving in Paraguay's
Congress.
"Through your recklessness and your brazen racism, the entire world has already
forgotten the journey and the historic effort that your players accomplished
during this World Cup," Mbapp wrote on X.
Amarilla posted a series of racist comments on X after Mbapp converted the
winning penalty in France's victory over Paraguay on Saturday, mocking the
French captain's origins, upbringing, education and appearance. France advanced
to the quarterfinals, where it will face Morocco on Thursday.
Late Monday, Amarilla issued an open letter in French and Spanish to Mbapp on
social media, in which she said her problem was with the player, not the
country of France. She wrote that she regretted mistreating Mbapp with "the
same insults" she's received as a mixed-race person and that she had deleted
her post.
But she also demanded an apology from Mbapp, accusing him of gender-based
violence in his comments about her, and threatening legal action if he didn't
retract them.
The Associated Press emailed France's team media officers for comment on
Amarilla's letter.
The Paraguayan government released a statement Monday afternoon condemning
Amarilla's remarks as "contrary to the values and principles that inspire
peaceful coexistence and respect for human dignity that our country promotes."
It added that the senator's comments do not represent either the Paraguayan
government or the Paraguayan people.
The French Football Federation on Monday denounced Amarilla's comments as
"utterly abhorrent" and "unacceptable," adding that it would refer the matter
to prosecutors.
France's president, Emmanuel Macron, and sports minister Marina Ferrari voiced
support for the national team's captain.
"By targeting Kylian Mbapp, the senator is attacking everything our captain
embodies and everything our country stands for: liberty, equality and
fraternity," Ferrari wrote on X.
"One more goal for Kylian Mbapp. This time against racism," Macron wrote on X,
adding the captain had his "full support."
France's assistant coach Guy Stphan also condemned the remarks on Monday.
"In three words, it's indignant, abject, scandalous," he said.
Before Saturday's match, former Paraguay goalkeeper Jos Luis Chilavert
referred to France as "a squad from Africa." Philippe Diallo, president of the
FFF, said Chilavert "was once a great goalkeeper" who had now "fallen into
disgrace."
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See more of AP's World Cup coverage here
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