French authorities investigate Paraguayan politician’s racist comments about Kylian Mbappe after World Cup match.
PARIS: Paris’ public prosecutor said on Tuesday it had opened an investigation into a Paraguayan lawmaker’s comments about France football captain Kylian Mbappe.
Celeste Amarilla, a member of the main opposition Liberal Party, called Mbappe a “colonised Cameroonian who has really pretended to be French, embittered, nouveau riche, arrogant and ugly” after France beat Paraguay 1-0 on Saturday to reach the World Cup quarter-finals.
The prosecutor made the decision after the French Football Federation (FFR) filed a complaint to France’s national centre for fighting online hate.
Authorities in the French capital started the investigation after “a publicly-made insult aggravated by the fact that it is uttered because of the victim’s true or supposed origin, ethnicity, nationality, race, or religion”.
These offences can carry a sentence of one year’s imprisonment and a fine of 45,000 euros ($51,412).
Amarilla’s post on social media was widely condemned.
Mbappe labelled Amarilla “not worthy of her position”.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino said he “unequivocally condemns” the racist abuse directed at the Real Madrid forward.
Earlier on Tuesday, the United Nations’ human rights office spokesman Thameen Al-Kheetan condemned the remarks as “racist and dehumanising”.
The public prosecutor’s office directs investigations and has the authority to initiate legal proceedings but it does not necessarily lead to an arrest warrant or trial.
