French prosecutors have opened an investigation into aggravated public insult and incitement to hatred or violence after a Paraguay senator racially abused following Paraguay鈥檚 loss to France at the .
The Paris prosecutor鈥檚 office told The Associated Press on Tuesday that it launched the probe after the national unit for combating online hate received a complaint from the French Football Federation (FFF).
Celeste Amarilla, a senator from Paraguay鈥檚 Liberal Radical Party, posted racist comments on X after Mbapp茅 converted the winning penalty in over Paraguay on Saturday. She mocked the France captain鈥檚 origins, upbringing, education and appearance. France advanced to the quarterfinals where it will face Morocco on Thursday.
Mbapp茅 called her a 鈥渄espicable woman鈥� who was 鈥渦nworthy鈥� of serving in Paraguay鈥檚 Congress.
The Paris prosecutor’s office said 鈥渢he remarks were allegedly made because of the victim鈥檚 actual or perceived origin, ethnicity, nationality, race, or religion.鈥� These offenses were punishable by up to one year of imprisonment and a 45,000 euros fine ($51,000).
Amarilla later issued an open letter in French and Spanish to Mbapp茅 on social media, in which she said her problem was with the player, not the country of France. She wrote that she regretted mistreating Mbapp茅 with 鈥渢he same insults鈥� she鈥檚 received as a mixed-race person and she had deleted her post.
But she also demanded an apology from Mbapp茅, accusing him of gender-based violence in his comments about her, and threatening legal action if he didn鈥檛 retract them.
The Paraguayan government released a statement Monday afternoon condemning Amarilla鈥檚 remarks as 鈥渃ontrary to the values and principles that inspire peaceful coexistence and respect for human dignity that our country promotes.鈥� It added that the senator鈥檚 comments do not represent either the Paraguayan government or the Paraguayan people.
The FFF denounced Amarilla鈥檚 comments as 鈥渦tterly abhorrent鈥� and 鈥渦nacceptable,” while French President Emmanuel Macron and Sports Minister Marina Ferrari voiced support for Mbapp茅.
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