UN condemns racist remarks against Mbappe

The UN human rights office on Tuesday condemned racist remarks directed at French football star Kylian Mbappe by Paraguayan Senator Celeste Amarilla, describing the comments as "despicable" and part of a broader pattern of racism in football.

UN Human Rights Office spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan said the incident reflected a wider problem affecting football and sport more generally, pointing to reports of racist abuse during the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup.

"The racist and dehumanising remarks against French footballer Kylian Mbappe by Paraguayan Senator Celeste Amarilla are despicable and, regrettably, not isolated," Al-Kheetan said.

He stressed that public officials have a heightened responsibility to reject racism, discrimination and hate speech, calling on governments and sports organizations to strengthen measures to prevent racist incidents and establish independent and effective accountability mechanisms.

The UN rights office also urged social media platforms to take greater responsibility for preventing and addressing racist and xenophobic abuse in line with international human rights standards.

The controversy erupted after Paraguay's 1-0 defeat to France in the Round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with Mbappe scoring the winning goal from the penalty spot.

Following the match, Amarilla posted comments on X targeting Mbappe's Cameroonian heritage, appearance, upbringing and education. After widespread criticism, she deleted the posts and issued an open letter expressing regret for using "the same insults" that she said she had experienced as a mixed-race person.

Mbappe responded on X, describing Amarilla as "a despicable woman and unworthy of your position," adding that he would "never allow people like her the freedom to spread their hatred and racism across the world."

The French forward also stressed that Amarilla "does not represent Paraguay."

Source:AA