Football: the issue of racism source of tension between Kylian Mbappé and the president of the FFF
The president of the French Football Federation, Noël Le Graet with Kylian Mbappé.
(File photo).
AFP - FRANCK FIFE
Text by: RFI Follow
2 mins
Noël Le Graët, the president of the French football federation spoke on Sunday of the lack of support felt by Kylian Mbappé after the elimination at the Euro.
But the French international reacted on Twitter, regretting that the president of the FFF did not take into account the “racism” of which he would have been the victim.
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In a tweet, the Parisian striker nuanced a statement by the president of the French Football Federation (FFF) in an interview with the Sunday newspaper where the leader said that Mbappé "
found that the Federation had not defended him after his missed penalty (against Switzerland at the Euro, editor’s note) and criticism on the networks
”.
"
Yes finally, I explained to him above all that it was in relation to racism, and NO to the penalty
", replied the player on his Twitter account.
"
But he considered that there had been no racism...
".
Yes finally I explained to him above all well that it was in relation to racism and NO to the penalty.
But he considered that there had been no racism… https://t.co/wZ1nQfb4l4
— Kylian Mbappé (@KMbappe) June 19, 2022
In the JDD, Noël Le Graët returned more broadly to his relationship with Kylian Mbappé and the discussions after the elimination in the round of 16 against Switzerland (3-3, 5 pens to 4), where the Parisian striker n did not convert his shot on goal, the last, precipitating elimination.
“
He found that the Federation had not defended him after his missed penalty and the criticism on the networks.
We had seen each other for five minutes in my office.
I did not want to say that, on the contrary, you have always been nice
, “explained the president of the FFF, adding in particular that the Parisian no
longer wanted to play in the France team – which he obviously did not think.
".
"
Insulting remarks
"
In September 2021, Noël Le Graët had already been the subject of criticism after declaring that racism in football “
does not exist or hardly exists
”.
A few months before, in July, the Paris prosecutor's office had meanwhile announced that it was investigating racist messages towards certain players of the French team after the Euro.
The president of the Executive Council of the territorial community of Martinique Serge Letchimy had notably written on June 30 to the Minister of Justice Eric Dupond-Moretti to condemn "
insulting remarks
" towards Mbappé.
Among them, a very relayed message which insulted the PSG striker as a "
dirty nigger
" who "
deserves to take a hundred lashes
".
On Saturday, the International Football Federation (Fifa) published a report pointing to the increase in the number of insults suffered by footballers on social networks.
According to this study, 38% of them were racist in nature.
(With AFP)
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