KYLIAN MBAPPÉ CONDEMNS 'DESPICABLE' PARAGUAYAN SENATOR OVER VILE RACIST RANT AFTER FRANCE WORLD CUP CLASH

 

France edged out Paraguay to book their place in the World Cup quarter-finals (Picture: Getty)

Kylian Mbappe has hit back after Paraguayan senator Celeste Amarilla targeted him with a sickening racist attack on social media following France’s 1-0 win at the World Cup.

Mbappe’s 70th-minute penalty proved decisive in Saturday’s bad-tempered last-16 clash between Les Bleus, the two-time winners, and one of the surprise packages of this summer’s tournament in Paraguay.

Paraguay’s physical approach drew widespread criticism from fans and pundits alike, with ex-England goalkeeper Joe Hart branding the side’s ugly tactics and gamesmanship an ‘absolute disgrace’.

Before a ball had even been kicked, Paraguayan legend Jose Luis Chilabert had caused uproar with some vile remarks in his homeland, in which he claimed his country were essentially facing an ‘African team’ in Philadelphia.

The unsavoury war of words did not cease once France had safely secured their spot in the quarter-finals, and just days after Chilavert’s outburst, it was Amarilla who made headlines for all the wrong reasons with a shocking rant on X, formerly Twitter.

Reacting to a photograph of Mbappe supposedly celebrating in the face of Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill, Amarilla, of Paraguay’s Liberal Radical Party, wrote: ‘The brute didn’t even learn to write.

‘Instead of mother’s milk, he sucked on coconuts, and the most educated thing he heard were chimpanzees.

Amarilla suggested Mbappe had been raised by ‘chimpanzees’ in a vile social media outburst (Picture: Getty)

Mbappe is the joint-leading goalscorer at the tournament (Picture: Getty

‘You should’ve shown him the finger, Orlando Gill; I do it in the senate and nothing happens!!!’

Twenty-four hours on from Amarilla’s despicable rant, a defiant Mbappe issued his response, in which he claimed the politician had overshadowed Paraguay’s achievements at the World Cup with her ‘brazen racism’.

‘Madame Celeste Amarilla, you are a despicable woman and unworthy of your position,’ Mbappe wrote on X.

‘You do not represent Paraguay, that country which has sweated passion and honour throughout the competition.

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, making way for an incompetent woman who gives the worst possible image of her country.

‘I will never allow people like her the freedom to spread their hatred and racism across the world.

It comes after the French Football Federation released a statement condemning Chilavert’s pre-match remarks, with the former Paraguay goalkeeper labelled a ‘disgrace’.

‘I condemn in the strongest possible terms the racist remarks made by Jose Luis Chilavert against the French national team, which undermine the values of respect, fraternity, and diversity in our football,’ FFF president Philippe Diallo said.

‘If he was once a great goalkeeper, this man has now fallen into disgrace.’

France – the 2022 runners-up – will resume their campaign versus Morocco at 9pm BST on Thursday, with a match against one of Portugal, Spain, Belgium and the USA awaiting the victor.

Mbappe is the joint-top scorer at this summer’s tournament alongside Erling Haaland and Lionel Messi, having scored seven goals in his five appearances for Les Bleus.

- Tom Olver

JÜRGEN KLOPP' STORMS OUT OF INTERVIEW AS LIVERPOOL LEGEND REFUSES TO ANSWER QUESTIONS

Jurgen Klopp stormed out of an interview after the Liverpool legend refused to answer a question following controversy regarding one of his fellow World Cup pundits

Jurgen Klopp stormed out of an interview(Image: DW Sports)

Ex-Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp abruptly ended an interview when questioned about the racism row involving Bastian Schweinsteiger.

The World Cup champion has been accused of making racist comments while analysing Germany's victory over the Ivory Coast. The former Manchester United and Bayern Munich star works for German broadcaster ARD.

Schweinsteiger, 41, has faced criticism for his depiction of the Ivory Coast's playing style. While evaluating the west African team, he referred to their football as "African football" before characterising it as being "a bit unorthodox sometimes, a bit wild, not quite as tactical."

Bastian Schweinsteiger has been accused of making racially insensitive comments(Image: Getty Images)

He also suggested that Julian Nagelsmann's squad must be "prepared for it to be unpredictable at times" prior to their 2-1 win. The ex-midfielder's comments have sparked backlash and become a significant talking point in Germany.

So much so that Klopp, who is currently working as a pundit for Magenta TV in the US, was pressed by another journalist to comment on the controversy. When confronted, he promptly cut off the interview and walked away.

In conversation with DW Sports, the former Liverpool boss said: "And now you want to carry on this subject. No, no, I have no chance, I have no chance to answer this question.

"Everybody likes it, so you bring me into this situation. It's not my job that everybody likes it, but this is a serious subject. I don't even know what is appropriate to say.

"For African people it's one thing, for other people it's another thing, and I'm not here. Thank god I thought nobody asked me about that. You found a moment and surprisingly you are German. That surprised me so much. Thank you very much."

Klopp then walked away from the gathered journalists, many of whom were heard calling out "no, no" as he departed.

Phillip Awounou, a sports journalist and author from Germany, slammed Schweinsteiger's comments in a recent article. Penning his column for Spiegel news magazine, he wrote: "Behind attributions like 'wild' and 'unpredictable' are stereotypes which are older than football and which have racist, colonial roots.

"In the past, Black people of African heritage were stigmatised as uncivilised ('wild'), different ('unorthodox') and potentially dangerous ('unpredictable').

"These are racist stereotypes," sports content creator Patrick Schnitzler told his 50,000 Instagram followers, referencing recent academic research which has demonstrated that commentators and supporters are more likely to emphasise Black footballers' physical attributes than those of non-Black players.

"We learn such stereotypes because we have grown up in a society with stereotypes. Schweinsteiger, too. You and me, too."

Awounou did make clear that he does not consider Schweinsteiger to be a racist, explaining: "That's simply wrong. Regardless of his problematic remarks, Schweinsteiger is absolutely not a racist and shouldn't be labelled as such."

After the match, Schweinsteiger took to social media, stating: "Ivory Coast were the difficult opponent we expected and showed their technical quality and physicality," shortly after Germany clinched a thrilling 2-1 victory.

- Cameron Winstanley and Cameron Winstanley

BENFICA RELEASES STATEMENT AMID REPORTS GIANLUCA PREATIANNI 'ADMITS' WHAT HE SAID TO VINICIUS JR

Benfica have released a statement following reports Gianluca Prestianni has now ‘admitted’ to teammates that he called Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr a ‘monkey’ earlier this month.

The alleged incident, which sparked widespread outrage among the football community, occurred during the first leg of the Champions League knockout phase play-off tie between the clubs on February 17.

Prestianni covered his mouth and said something to Vinicius Jr, who was criticised by Benfica manager Jose Mourinho for his celebrations after scoring early in the second half. Vini Jr immediately ran over to French referee Francois Letexier, who reacted by signalling the anti-racism gesture by crossing his arms. The match was subsequently halted for 10 minutes.

Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe accused Prestianni of calling his teammate a ‘monkey’ - an accusation strenuously denied by the Argentina international, who protested his innocence via social media after the match.

The 20-year-old wrote at the time: “I want to clarify that at no point did I direct racist insults at Vinícius Jr, who unfortunately misunderstood what he thought he heard. I have never been racist toward anyone.”

While Prestianni hasn’t been found guilty of any wrongdoing at the time of writing, he was suspended from Benfica’s second leg clash against Real Madrid this week. He trained with his teammates at the Bernabeu but his one-game provisional ban imposed by UEFA wasn’t overturned despite Benfica’s appeal.

Despite taking the lead in Madrid, Benfica lost the match 2-1. Goals either side of half-time from Aurelien Tchouameni and Vini Jr sent the Spanish giants through to the Champions League Round of 16.

Benfica React to Reports Prestianni Has 'Admitted' His Guilt

Reports in Portugal - via Yahoo - claim Prestianni has now admitted to Benfica’s players that he did call Vinicius Jr a ‘monkey’, despite initially pleading his innocence. However, this report has prompted a firm statement from Benfica, denying these reports are accurate. Per Sky Sports, Benfica have now said:

"Sport Lisboa e Benfica categorically denies that the player Prestianni has communicated to the squad or the club's structure that he has uttered a racist insult to the player Vinicius Jr, from Real Madrid.

"As has already been made public, the player apologised to his teammates for the incident that occurred during the match against Real Madrid, regretting the dimension and consequences of it and assuring everyone, as he has done since the first hour, that he is not racist."

If found guilty of racially abusing Vinicius Jr, Prestianni faces a minimum 10-game ban for breaking UEFA’s regulations on discriminatory behaviour. However, European football’s governing body have said the provisional ban is without prejudice, meaning Prestianni can still expect a fair hearing.

- Rob Swan

FELIPE MELO BLASTS 'RACIST ' PRESTIANNI

Felipe Melo could not tolerate the insult that the Argentine allegedly said to Vinicius on the field, so he did not take long to upload a video to his social media insulting Prestianni:

🗣 "Fire to the racists! And if you defend the racists, fire for you too. I'm sure Prestianni's wife must have cheated on him with a great Black man."

THIERRY HENRY ON VINICIUS JR AND RACISM

Thierry Henry’s powerful words after Real Madrid’s Champions League game against Benfica 🤝

Henry said he could personally relate to what Vinicius Jr. experienced in last night’s game: “I can relate to what Vinícius Jr. is going through. It happened to me so many times. I talked about it, so many times, after games, being accused of looking for excuses.”

“At times, you feel lonely because it’s going to be your word against his word. And so, because we don’t know what Prestianni said.”

- ESPN FC

SIR LEWIS HAMILTON SHOWS SUPPORT FOR RACIALLY ABUSED VINÍCIUS JÚNIOR AT A UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE GAME

 

GIANNI INFANTINO WADES IN ON VINICIUS JR RACISM SAGA AS FIFA BOSS MAKES POST ION CLEAR

After Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr alleged Benfica player Gianluca Prestianni racially abused him, Gianni Infantino has stepped in and offered his point of view

Gianni Infantino has offered his thoughts on the ugliness between Benfica and Real Madrid(Image: YouTube/11Alive)

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has declared he is "shocked and saddened" by the incidents of alleged racism during the clash between Real Madrid and Benfica.

UEFA has opened an investigation after Vinicius Jr alleged Benfica's Gianluca Prestianni directed racist language at him. The Champions League encounter was halted for 10 minutes by referee Francois Letexier, with both teams departing the field shortly after Vinicius had put his team ahead.

Prestianni and Benfica have rejected the allegations. However, UEFA will now examine video evidence of the incident and interview both Prestianni and Vinicius Jr as part of their probe.

Infantino maintains those found responsible must be held accountable and face severe sanctions if proven guilty of racist behaviour. He said: "I was shocked and saddened to see the incident of alleged racism towards Vinícius Júnior in the UEFA Champions League match between Benfica and Real Madrid CF.

"There is absolutely no room for racism in our sport and in society. We need all the relevant stakeholders to take action and hold those responsible to account.

"At FIFA, through the Global Stand Against Racism and the Players' Voice Panel, we are committed to ensuring that players, officials and fans are respected and protected, and that appropriate action is taken when incidents occur.

"I commend referee François Letexier for activating the anti-racism protocol by using the arm gesture to stop the game and address the situation.

"FIFA and football shows full solidarity to victims of racism and any form of discrimination. I will always continue to reiterate: No to racism! No to any form of discrimination!"

Meanwhile, Vinicius Jr took to social media to condemn racists as "cowards" having been on the end of racist abuse throughout his career.

Vinicius Jr said he was racially abused by Benfica's Gianluca Prestianni during this altercation in Tuesday night's Champions League match(Image: Getty Images)

He said: "Racists are, above all, cowards. They need to put their shirts in their mouths to show how weak they are.

"But they have the protection of others who, theoretically, have an obligation to punish them. Nothing that happened today is new in my life or in my team's life.

"I received a yellow card for celebrating a goal. I still don't understand why. On the other hand, it was just a poorly executed protocol that served no purpose."

- Jeremy Cross

LIVERPOOL KEEPER RAFAELA BORGGRAFE GETS SIX-GAME BAN FOR RACIST REMARK

Rafaela Borggrafe joined Liverpool last July

Liverpool goalkeeper Rafaela Borggrafe has been handed a six-match ban by the FA after an ⁠investigation found she made a racist comment, coach Gareth Taylor said on Friday, adding that the player has already served five games of her ban.

British media reported in September that the FA had launched an investigation into Borggrafe over allegations of using discriminatory language towards a teammate, who was not named.

"We have a slight update on the situation, in the sense that the FA has now completed its thorough investigation. They sanctioned ⁠the player with a six-game ban," Taylor said ahead of Sunday's ⁠Women's Super League home game against Tottenham Hotspur.

"That ban has been ongoing whilst we've ⁠been playing, ⁠so effectively she'll be out of the running to be included this weekend, but after that she is available ⁠for selection.

"We're happy now that it's completed... we have some actual detail on what it looks like, and all of us can now move on."

Borggrafe, 25, joined Liverpool in July, and has made three WSL appearances for the bottom side.

- RTÉ Sport

SECOND ARREST MADE IN JESS CARTER RACIST ABUSE INVESTIGATION

A 30-year-old man from Ripley was arrested on suspicion of malicious communication

England's Jess Carter received racist abuse online during the Women's Euros this summer (The FA via Getty Images)

A second man has been arrested by police investigating online racist abuse sent to England defender Jess Carter during the Women's Euros.

Derbyshire Constabulary arrested a 30-year-old man from Ripley on suspicion of malicious communications in relation to the abuse towards Carter.

The man has been released on bail.

It followed the arrest of a 59-year-old man from Great Harwood by Lancashire Police on August 28, also on suspicion of malicious communication in relation to some of the messages.

Both arrests stem from an investigation launched in July by the UK Football Policing Unit (UKFPU) and social media companies.

Cheshire Constabulary Chief Constable Mark Roberts, the National Police Chief Council (NPCC) lead for football policing, said: "Nobody should be subjected to such disgusting abuse, and we want to make it clear that racist abuse of this nature will not be tolerated.

"Everyone is responsible for what they do and say, and we want to ensure offenders cannot hide behind a social media profile to post vile comments."

Sergeant Gemma Thursfield from Derbyshire Constabulary said: "Abuse online is no different to being in person and people need to be clear that the posts they make, or messages they send, on social media are just the same as making them in person.

Second arrest made in Jess Carter racist abuse investigation
Carter was a key player in England's European Championship win despite receiving abuse throughout the tournament

"The impact on Jess, and other victims of this crime, are clear to see and we will work with our partners in law enforcement to ensure that those responsible are brought to justice."

Carter revealed in July she had been the target of "a lot of abuse" during the tournament.

Carter told ITV News last month that the psychological impact of the abuse she suffered made her feel "scared" when England head coach Sarina Wiegman told her she had been selected to play in the Euro final, which England won on penalties against Spain to retain the title.

"That's the first time I've ever been scared; too scared to play," she said.

"I think it was a mixture of such a big game but then on top of that, (I was) scared of whatever abuse might come with it, whether it's football-based or whether it was going to be the racial abuse that was going to come with it because I did something wrong.

"(The abuse) makes you feel really small. It makes you feel like you're not important, that you're not valuable.

"It makes you second guess everything that you do - it's not a nice place to be. It doesn't make me feel confident going back onto the pitch. My family was so devastated by it as well and so sad."

- Jamie Gardner

"ONE OF THE WORST THINGS YOU CAN SAY TO A BLACK PLAYER" - NAOMI OSAKA MAKES HER POSITION CLEAR ON JELENA OSTAPENKO & TAYLOR TOWNSEND'S US OPEN DRAMA

Naomi Osaka was recently asked to weigh in on Taylor Townsend and Jelena Ostapenko's US Open drama. The Japanese tennis star was quick to make her position clear on the matter, calling out Ostapenko for her comments.

Townsend and Ostapenko took on each other for their second round encounter at the US Open. The Latvian had been a favorite for the win prior to the match, but come game day it was Townsend who clinched a straight games triumph. After the match, the duo engaged in a heated conversation at the net, with Townsend later revealing that Ostapenko told her she had ‘no class and no education’.

In light of these comments, the tennis world has been left ablaze, with many accusing Jelena Ostapenko of racism. After her second round win at the US Open, Naomi Osaka was asked to share her thoughts on the matter. In response, the former champion said,

“I think obviously it's one of the worst things that you can say to a black tennis player in a majority white sport. And granted I know Taylor and I know how hard she's worked and I know how smart she is. So, she's the furthest thing from uneducated or anything like that.”

She went on to add that this wasn't the ‘craziest’ thing Ostapenko has said, but highlighted the ‘ill timing’ of the comments.

“But if you're like genuinely asking me about the history of Ostapenko, I don't think that's the craziest thing she said. I'm going to be honest. I think it's ill timing and the worst person you could have ever said it to. And I don't know if she knows the history of it in America, but I know she's never going to say that ever again in her life. But yeah, I mean it's just terrible. Like that's just really bad.”

For her part, Jelena Ostapenko denied any racist intention behind her comments, while explaining that she was upset at Taylor Townsend for not apologising after a net cord.

Naomi Osaka to face Daria Kasatkina in US Open third round

On the tennis end of things, Naomi Osaka's campaign at the US Open has been absolutely incredible so far. The four-time Grand Slam champion kicked off her time in New York with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Germany’s Greet Minnen.

She then took on home player Hailey Baptiste for her second round match. Osaka clinched a straight games win in this encounter as well, ousting her American opponent 6-3, 6-1.

Up next, Naomi Osaka will square-off against Daria Kasatkina for her third round match at the US Open. The duo have played each other twice before, and Osaka has won both these encounters.

- Riddhi Acharya

PREMIER LEAGUE OPENER HALTED AFTER ANTOINE SEMENYO REPORTS RACIAL ABUSE

Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo celebrates scoring his second goal of the season's opening Premier League game. Pic: PA

A man was ejected from Anfield after reports of racial abuse directed at Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo during the season's opening Premier League game against Liverpool.

Match referee Anthony Taylor paused play in the 29th minute after Semenyo accused a spectator of racist abuse.

An anti-discrimination message was read out to the Anfield crowd, and it is understood that police officers went into the referee's room at half-time.

Merseyside Police said an investigation is under way after the 47-year-old man's identity was confirmed and he was removed from the ground.

Chief Inspector Kev Chatterton, the match commander for the Liverpool v Bournemouth game, said: "Merseyside Police will not tolerate hate crime of any form.

"We take incidents like this very seriously, and in cases like this we will be proactively seeking football banning orders, with the club, against those responsible."

He added: "There is no place for racism and it is vital that anyone who witnesses such an offence reports it to stewards, or the police immediately, so we can take the necessary action like we did this evening.

"As with all matches, we work very closely with both Liverpool and Everton FC to ensure the safety of the public, and the players."

A spokesperson for Liverpool said the club was "aware of an allegation of racist abuse made during our Premier League game against Bournemouth".

Semenyo with his teammates during the match. Pic: PA

The Liverpool spokesperson said: "We condemn racism and discrimination in all forms, it has no place in society, or football.

"The club is unable to comment further as tonight's alleged is incident is the subject of an ongoing police investigation, which we will support fully."

After the incident, Semenyo scored twice in the second half to help bring Bournemouth back from two goals down at Anfield before Liverpool went on to eventually win the contest 4-2.

Bournemouth captain Adam Smith told Sky Sports News afterwards: "It shouldn't be happening. I don't know how Ant's played on to be honest and come up with those goals. It's totally unacceptable.

"Something needs to be done. Taking the knee isn't having an effect. We're supporting him and hopefully he'll be OK.

"I wanted him to react because that's what I would have done, but this shows what type of man he is...to come up with those goals showed the type of guy he is.

"To be fair the Liverpool players were very supportive as well towards Antoine and the rest of the team. It was handled in the right way but... so angry.

"I don't know what else we can do. No one's getting it. I don't know what to say anymore. I just feel for Ant... shocking."

The Premier League said in a statement that its "on-field anti-discrimination protocol" had been followed and the incident "will now be fully investigated".

"We offer our full support to the player and both clubs," it added. "Racism has no place in our game, or anywhere in society. We will continue to work with stakeholders and authorities to ensure our stadiums are an inclusive and welcoming environment for all."

The Football Association said it was "concerned" about the allegation of racism towards Semenyo and that it would ensure "appropriate action" would be taken.

The incident comes two days after Tottenham Hotspur player Mathys Tel faced racist abuse online following a missed penalty in his team's UEFA Super Cup victory over Paris Saint-Germain.

- Sky News

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR CONDEMN RACIST ABUSE AGAINST MATHYS TEL AFTER UEFA SUPER CUP

Mathys Tel, who joined the team on a permanent basis from Bayern Munich in the offseason after a loan spell last season, hit his shootout penalty wide.

Tottenham Hotspur have slammed the "cowards" who racially abused Mathys Tel.© X (Twitter

Tottenham Hotspur have slammed the "cowards" who racially abused French forward Mathys Tel after the team's loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Super Cup after a penalty shootout. The 20-year-old Tel, who is Black, was one of two Tottenham players who failed to convert their penalties as they lost the shootout 4-3 to PSG after a 2-2 draw. “We are disgusted at the racial abuse that Mathys Tel has received on social media following last night's UEFA Super Cup defeat," Tottenham said in a statement.

"Mathys showed bravery and courage to step forward and take a penalty, yet those who abuse him are nothing but cowards — hiding behind anonymous user names and profiles to spout their abhorrent views."

Tottenham said the club will work with the authorities and social media platforms to take “the strongest possible action against any individual we are able to identify.”

"We stand with you, Mathys,” Spurs added.

Tel, who joined the team on a permanent basis from Bayern Munich in the offseason after a loan spell last season, went on as a substitute in the 79th minute when Tottenham was 2-0 ahead.

He hit his shootout penalty wide.

- Associated Press

WHEN HILK HOGAN WAS CALLED A RACIST: ALL ON THE RACISM SCANDAL THAT LEAD TO HIS WWE SUSPENSION AND HALL OF FAME REMOVAL

Hulk Hogan was accused of racism back in 2015, after which WWE suspended his contract. Here is all about his racist comment.

WWE legend Hulk Hogan passed away on July 24 after he suffered a cardiac arrest, TMZ Sports reported. The wrestler was 71 at the time of his death. Emergency responders were dispatched to Hogan’s Florida residence after a 911 call about a suspected cardiac arrest.

When Hulk Hogan was accused of racism(REUTERS)

Hogan, whose real name was Terry Bollea, was credited for revolutionizing professional wrestling. The wrestler was also known for his controversial personal life. Back in 2015, Hogan was accused of racism, and his contract was suspended by WWE.

In July 2015, Hulk Hogan faced major backlash after a leaked transcript revealed him using racist language during a private conversation. The audio came from a sex tape recorded years earlier. It was made public as part of his legal battle with Gawker Media. In the clip, Hogan was heard making repeated use of the N-word while discussing his daughter Brooke’s dating life, expressing anger and discomfort about her reportedly dating a Black man.

The fallout was immediate. WWE ended its contract with Hogan on July 24, 2015, removing all references to him from their website, including removing his Hall of Fame profile (though not officially removing him from the Hall of Fame itself). As per People and other outlets at the time, WWE said it was "committed to embracing and celebrating individuals from all backgrounds."

The wrestler released a public statement and apologized for his behavior. At the time, he said, "Eight years ago I used offensive language during a conversation. It was unacceptable for me to have used that offensive language; there is no excuse for it; and I apologize for having done it. This is not who I am. I believe very strongly that every person in the world is important and should not be treated differently based on race, gender, orientation, religious beliefs or otherwise. I am disappointed with myself that I used language that is offensive and inconsistent with my own beliefs."

Despite the controversy, Hogan was reinstated into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2018. According to Variety, WWE said he had “apologized for his comments” and had spent time meeting with WWE talents to address the issue. Still, for many, the incident left a stain on Hogan’s legacy that has not completely faded.

Hulk Hogan was removed from WWE in July 2015 after a leaked tape revealed him using racist language during a private conversation.

Did Hulk Hogan die?

Yes, according to TMZ Sports, WWE legend Hulk Hogan reportedly passed away on July 24 at the age of 71. He is said to have suffered a cardiac arrest at his home in Florida.

How did Hulk Hogan die?

Hulk Hogan reportedly died of cardiac arrest, as per early reports. Emergency responders were dispatched to his Florida residence after a 911 call related to a suspected heart issue.

- HT US Desk

FIFA PRESIDENT GIANNI INGANTINO 'DEEPLY SADDENED' BY RACIST ABUSE TOWARDS ENGLAND'S JESS CARTER

Jess Carter has been the target of racist abuse on social media during Euro 2025 and FIFA president Gianni Infantino has promised to help the authorities identify the culprits

FIFA president Gianni Infantino (Image: PA Wire/PA Images)

Gianni Infantino, the FIFA president, has expressed his deep sorrow over the online racial abuse targeted at England's Jess Carter during Euro 2025, vowing that FIFA will collaborate with relevant authorities to identify those responsible.

Defender Carter announced she would be "taking a step back from social media and leaving it to a team to deal with" after disclosing she had been subjected to "a lot of racial abuse" throughout the tournament in Switzerland.

Infantino took to Instagram to express his dismay: "I am deeply saddened to see the online abuse directed at England's Jess Carter during the ongoing Women's EURO tournament. There is no place for racism in football or in society.

"We stand with Jess. We stand with every player and every individual who has suffered from racist abuse.

"No player should be discriminated against in any way, they should be free to be at their very best on the pitch.

"Through FIFA's Social Media Protection Service, we have helped tackle such abuse across multiple tournaments. We will continue to collaborate and support confederations, FIFA Member Associations and their players.

"In this instance, we will be offering our support with any further action required, as well as sharing data for appropriate action to be taken against any perpetrators."

Mark Bullingham, the chief of the Football Association, confirmed that his organisation has already reported the "abhorrent" abuse to UK police, who are "in touch with the relevant social media platform".

Bullingham stated the FA "will continue to discuss with the relevant authorities and social media companies about what more can and should be done."

Lucy Bronze expressed her sadness for England teammate Carter ahead of the Lionesses semi-final clash with Italy in Geneva on Tuesday, whilst cautioning social media firms that football players can "thrive" without their platforms.

"I think no player needs social media," Bronze remarked. "I think that's one thing that we can always remember, is that we play football because we love the sport.

"Someone like Jess, she's had an amazing tournament. I think she was one of our best players in the Netherlands game, for example, and she should be able to see messages and the fans and the support and live in that moment, because it's something you should be able to celebrate."

The Lionesses have reached a collective decision that they will not be "taking the knee" before kick-off in Geneva, abandoning the symbolic anti-racism gesture that has become commonplace across sport since 2016, when NFL player Colin Kaepernick knelt during the Star Spangled Banner in protest.

"Until now, we have chosen to take the knee before matches," the team statement declared.

"It's clear we and football need to find another way to tackle racism.

"We have agreed as a squad to remain standing before kick-off on Tuesday."

- Husmukh Kerai

KHEPHREM THURAM REVEALS JYVENTUS" EFFORTS TO FIGH RACISM

 

JOSÉ MOURINHO ROW WITH TURKISH FA EXPLAINED AMID RACISM ALLEGATIONS AND STRONG DROGBA STATEMENT

Galatasaray have accused Jose Mourinho of racism (Image: Getty Images)

Former Chelsea forward Didier Drogba has defended Jose Mourinho after Galatasaray accused the Fenerbahce head coach of making "racist statements" against Turkish people.

Galatasaray said they intended to launch criminal proceedings against Mourinho and would also submit complaints to governing bodies UEFA and FIFA over the "derogatory" remarks, which they say were made in the aftermath of Monday's feisty 0-0 draw against Fenerbahce in Istanbul.

What was said?

In his post-match press conference, ex-Tottenham and Chelsea boss Mourinho said that the Galatasaray bench were "jumping around like monkeys" following an early tackle.

The 62-year-old also lauded the decision to bring in Slovenian Slavko Vincic to officiate the game and claimed it would have been a disaster if the match would have been refereed by a Turkish official.

Vincic, who refereed last season's Champions League final between Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid, was drafted in by the Turkish football federation after recent controversies involving Turkish referees.

A statement from Galatasaray read: "Since the commencement of his managerial duties in Turkey, Fenerbahce manager Jose Mourinho has persistently issued derogatory statements directed towards the Turkish people. Today, his discourse has escalated beyond merely immoral comments into unequivocally inhumane rhetoric.

"We hereby formally declare our intention to initiate criminal proceedings concerning the racist statements made by Jose Mourinho, and shall accordingly submit official complaints to UEFA and FIFA.

"Furthermore, we shall diligently observe the stance adopted by Fenerbahce - an institution professing to uphold 'exemplary moral values' - in response to the reprehensible conduct exhibited by their manager."

The statement was posted on the Galatasaray club website under the headline: "Say no to racism."

Didier Drogba statement

Less than 48 hours since the controversy struck, Drogba, who worked with Mourinho during their time at Chelsea, has jumped the defence of his former manager and claimed he is not racist.

In a passionate statement on X, formerly known as Twitter, Drogba said: "Dear @GalatasaraySK. You know how proud I was to wear the yellow and red jersey and my love for the most decorated club in Turkey!! We all know how passionate and heated rivalries can be, and I've been lucky enough to experience it.

"I've seen the recent comments about Jose Mourinho. Trust me when I tell you I have known Jose for 25 years and he is not a racist and history (past and recent) is there to prove it. Let's focus on our games, support our brilliant lions and let's win the league to get close to our 5 [star emoji].

"How can my "Dad" be a racist [man tipping two hands emoji]. Come on guys [red and yellow love heart emoji, and three star emoji]."

- Kieran King

ARSENAL FAN GETS 3-YEAR BAN FOR ONLINE ABUSE OF THOMAS PARTEY

A fan who racially abused Arsenal player Thomas Partey in a social media post was banned from attending all games for three years on Tuesday.

Charles Ogunmilade, who is Black, admitted to sending a "grossly offensive" message on X, which he claimed was satire of what a racist white person would say.

He posted the offensive comment in April 2023 after Partey, a Ghana international who is Black, missed a shot during Arsenal's 3-3 draw with Southampton.

The court in London was informed the post on X was reported to the police, who visited Ogunmilade's home. He said the comment was intended to be a sarcastic quote among a group of friends.

"I am not a racist person," Ogunmilade said in court.

While issuing his sentence, magistrate Shaoni Myer said Ogunmilade's early guilty plea, prior good character and experience of racism were taken into account.

The soccer banning order also requires him to surrender his passport to police whenever the England men's national team plays an away game abroad. He was ordered to pay a fine and costs totaling £260 ($325).

- Associated Press 

RODRIGO BENTANCUR BANNED 7 GAMES FOR OFFENSIVE SON HEUNG-MIN REMARK

Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur has been handed a seven-game ban and a £100,000 fine by the English Football Association (FA) for using abusive language and bringing the game into disrepute during a Spanish-language interview on Uruguayan television in June.

The ban applies only to English club football and not European competition, meaning he can still compete against Roma and Rangers in the Europa League. He will miss Premier League clashes with Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool, as well as a Carabao Cup quarterfinal against Manchester United.

The charge by the FA stemmed from a clip posted on social media after Bentancur was interviewed on Uruguayan Television programme "Por La Camiseta." Host Rafa Cotelo asked Bentancur for a Spurs player's shirt, to which he replied, "Sonny's?" [Son Heung-Min], adding: "It could be Sonny's cousin too as they all look the same."

He denied the initial FA charge, according to the statement issued on Monday, and can appeal the ruling.

The FA said: "It was further alleged that this constitutes an 'aggravated breach'... as it included a reference -- whether express or implied -- to nationality and/or race and/or ethnic origin."

In a news conference during the ongoing international break, Bentancur told reporters that he was braced for the punishment. As part of the decision, he also has to attend face-to-face education sessions which have to be completed by March 2025.

Rodrigo Bentancur has been banned for seven games over the use of a racial slur. Marc Atkins/Getty Images

The Uruguay international apologised on June 20 in a post on Instagram for the remark that he said was a "very bad joke." Five days later, Son, Tottenham's captain, said that he had accepted his teammate's apology.

"He made a mistake, he knows this and has apologised. Lolo [Bentancur] would not mean to ever intentionally say something offensive. We are brothers and nothing has changed at all," Son said in a post on social media.

"We're past this, we're united, and we will be back together in preseason to fight for our club as one."

Information from Reuters contributed to this report.

- ESPN

CHELSEA CONDEMN ENZO FERNÁNDEZ'S DISCRIMINATION CHANTS

Enzo Fernández joined Chelsea in 2023 and has made 46 appearances. Photo by Stephen Nadler/ISI Photos/Getty Images

 Chelsea have condemned all discriminatory behaviour and started an internal disciplinary procedure in the wake of Argentina's derogatory song about French players, the club said in a statement.

The French Football Federation (FFF) announced on Tuesday it would file a legal complaint over "racist and discriminatory remarks" made by Chelsea player Enzo Fernández and his Argentina teammates about France's team after Sunday's Copa América victory over Colombia.

"Chelsea Football Club finds all forms of discriminatory behaviour completely unacceptable," a club statement said on Wednesday.

"We are proud to be a diverse, inclusive club where people from all cultures, communities and identities feel welcome."

Following Argentina's 1-0 win over Colombia in the final, Fernández posted a video on Instagram that was widely viewed on X. The video showed the Argentina players singing offensive chants that singled out France players of African heritage.

The same chants -- by some Argentina fans -- emerged before France and Argentina met in the 2022 World Cup final, which Argentina won.

France defender Wesley Fofana displayed his discontent with his Chelsea teammate and reposted the video, citing the chant as "uninhibited racism."

Chelsea and France forward Christopher Nkunku followed Fofana, saying on X: "God bless them," talking about the Argentinean team's derogatory words.

Fernández issued a statement of apology on Instagram admitting the song "includes highly offensive language" but added "those words, do not reflect my beliefs or my character. ... I stand against discrimination in all forms and apologise for getting caught up in the euphoria of our Copa America celebrations."

French sports minister Amélie Oudéa-Castéra wants FIFA to take action. She replied to a L'Equipe story about the derogatory chants, writing on X: "Pathetic. Behaviour that is all the more unacceptable if it is repeated. @FIFAcom: a reaction?"

FIFA also said it was also looking into the incident after the French federation pledged to file a complaint with the sport's world governing body over "racist and discriminatory remarks."

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has said football and its 211 national federations must have a zero tolerance approach to racism and in May committed to relaunching a task force to monitor incidents.

"FIFA is aware of a video circulating on social media and the incident is being looked into," the governing body said Wednesday. "FIFA strongly condemns any form of discrimination by anyone including players, fans and officials."

It is unclear what jurisdiction FIFA has over the incident on a team bus after a tournament, but the governing body likely could act if the Argentina federation's handling of the case is considered unsatisfactory.

Julio Garro, Argentina's undersecretary for sports, said on Wednesday he felt Argentina football federation president Claudio "Chiqui" Tapia as well as team captain Lionel Messi should issue apologies for the chanting.

"This leaves us, as a country, in bad standing after so much glory," Garro said in an Argentina radio interview.

- Adriana Garcia

FRENCH FEDERATION TAKES ACTION OVER 'RACIST' ARGENTINA CHANT

Argentina beat Colombia in Sunday's Copa América final in Miami. JUAN MABROMATA/AFP via Getty Images

 The French Football Federation (FFF) is filing a legal complaint over "racist and discriminatory remarks" by Argentina players in postmatch chants about France's team after the Copa América final.

Argentina beat Colombia 1-0 on Sunday. A video posted on Instagram by Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernández and widely viewed on X showed Argentina players singing about French players with African heritage.

Fernández later apologized for singing the song featured in the video.

The same chants -- by some Argentina fans -- emerged before France and Argentina met in the World Cup final two years ago, which Argentina won.

"Given the seriousness of these shocking remarks, which are contrary to the values of sport and human rights, the FFF president has decided to contact its Argentinian counterpart and FIFA directly to file a legal complaint for racist and discriminatory remarks," the French federation said in a statement on Tuesday.

"The president of the French Football Federation, Philippe Diallo, condemns in the strongest terms the unacceptable racist and discriminatory remarks made against the players of the France team as part of a song sung by players and supporters of the Argentina team."

Diallo is a member of the executive committee of European soccer body UEFA with a growing reputation in the game's politics.

The derogatory chants single out France players of African heritage from several countries holding a French passport.

Fernández's Chelsea teammate Wesley Fofana, a France international, shared the video on social media Tuesday with the comment, "Football in 2024: Uninhibited racism."

In an apology on Instagram, Fernández said he was "caught up in the euphoria" of the celebrations.

"I want to apologise sincerely for a video posted on my Instagram channel during the national team celebrations," he posted. "The song includes highly offensive language and there is no excuse for these words.

"I stand against discrimination in all forms and apologise for getting caught up in the euphoria of our Copa America celebrations. That video, that moment, those words, do not reflect my beliefs or my character. I am truly sorry."

FIFA could not immediately confirm Tuesday if the French complaint had been filed.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has said soccer and its 211 national federations must have a zero tolerance approach to racism and in May committed to relaunching a task force to monitor incidents.

Information from The Associated Press contributed to this report.

- ESPN News Services