UN Rights Office Calls Racist Remarks Against Mbappe ‘Despicable’ Yet Not Isolated

The United Nations Human Rights Office has condemned racist remarks made by Paraguayan Senator Celeste Amarilla against France captain Kylian Mbappé, describing the comments as “despicable” and warning that racism remains a persistent problem in football.

The condemnation came as FIFA reiterated its zero-tolerance stance on racism and discrimination, saying it had already opened an investigation into a separate racist incident involving popular streamer IShowSpeed during the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup.

In a statement on Tuesday, UN Human Rights spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan said Amarilla’s comments reflected a broader pattern of racial abuse in football.

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

He added that reports of racist incidents during the FIFA World Cup reflected a wider problem across sports.

“Public officials have a heightened responsibility to stand against racism, discrimination and hate speech in their discourse,” he said.

Calling for stronger action, the UN urged governments, sporting bodies and social media platforms to tackle racial abuse.

“States and sports organisations must actively work to prevent acts of racism and any other form of discrimination. They should also ensure that there are independent and effective accountability mechanisms in place.”

He further stated: “Social media companies also have a responsibility to prevent and address racial discrimination and xenophobic abuse on their platforms, in accordance with international human rights standards.”

The controversy erupted after France defeated Paraguay to book a place in the quarter-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Mbappé converted the decisive spot kick before becoming involved in a brief confrontation with Paraguayan goalkeeper Orlando Gill after the final whistle.

Videos circulating on social media appeared to show Mbappé walking past Gill’s attempt to shake his hand before the goalkeeper threw the ball in the France captain’s direction.

Explaining the incident afterwards, Gill said: “I tried to shake his hand, but since he didn’t pay me any attention, I lost my temper.”

The incident escalated after Amarilla reacted to a video of Gill explaining what had happened.

In a series of social media posts, the Paraguayan lawmaker described Mbappé as “a colonised Cameroonian who has really pretended to be French.”

She also 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 was chimpanzees.”

Amarilla further said Gill should have shown Mbappé “the finger” and went on to describe the French footballer as “a colonised Cameroonian, pretending hard to be French, resentful, newly rich, arrogant, and ugly.”

She also claimed Mbappé had been “nervous and scared to death” throughout the match.

Mbappé hit back in a strongly worded response posted on his verified X account, accusing Amarilla of racism and saying she was unfit to hold public office.

“Madame Celeste Amarilla, you are a despicable woman and unworthy of your position,” Mbappé wrote.

He added: “You do not represent Paraguay, that country which has sweated passion and honour throughout the competition.”

Amarilla later asked Mbappé to apologise while threatening legal action.

Meanwhile, FIFA said it remains committed to protecting players, supporters and officials from all forms of discrimination.

In a statement released by its media department on Tuesday, the world football governing body said: “FIFA strongly condemns racism, hate and discrimination in all forms. These actions have no place in football, at the FIFA World Cup, or anywhere in society.”

The organisation disclosed that it had already begun investigating another alleged racist incident involving content creator IShowSpeed during the Argentina versus Cabo Verde World Cup match at Miami Stadium on July 3.

“FIFA was made aware of an incident involving a supporter and IShowSpeed at Miami Stadium during the Argentina vs Cabo Verde match on 3 July 2026 and immediately initiated an investigation.”

Reaffirming the values of the tournament, FIFA added: “The FIFA World Cup is a celebration of unity, diversity and respect. It brings together people, cultures and communities from around the world, and anyone who acts in a manner that undermines these values is not welcome in our game.”

The latest controversy has renewed concerns over racism in global football, with the UN and FIFA calling for stronger accountability from public officials, sports institutions and technology companies to combat hate speech and racial discrimination.

Source: Sahara Reporters