French federation to go after abusers of World Cup players

Argentina players celebrate after Emiliano Martinez saves a penalty taken by France’s Kingsley Coman during the penalty shootout during their World Cup Final at Lusail Stadium on December 18, 2022. (Reuters)
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Updated 20 December 2022
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French federation to go after abusers of World Cup players

  • The federation said Tuesday that some players were hit by “unacceptable racist and hateful comments on social networks"
  • Isabelle Rome, the minister in charge of gender equality, said Kylian Mbappe and Kinglsey Coman were among those abused

PARIS: The French soccer federation wants to go after social media users who targeted some of the national team’s players with racist comments following France’s loss to Argentina in the World Cup final.
The federation said Tuesday that some players were hit by “unacceptable racist and hateful comments on social networks” and that it planned to file a complaint against those that posted abuse.
“The French soccer federation condemns with the utmost firmness these intolerable behaviors and abuses,” it said in a statement.
French government officials have expressed their indignation following the insults. Isabelle Rome, the minister in charge of gender equality, said Kylian Mbappe and Kinglsey Coman were among those abused.
Mbappe and Coman are Black.
Coman’s club, Bayern Munich, also condemned the racist comments targeting the winger, one of the French players who missed during the penalty shootout that decided Sunday’s final.
“The FC Bayern family is behind you, King. Racism has no place in sport or our society,” Bayern wrote on Twitter.
French sports minister Amelie Oudea-Castera tweeted her support to Coman and all the players abused, saying the heinous comments “have no place in soccer or anywhere else.”
France twice fought back for a 3-3 draw through extra time in Qatar before Argentina won a penalty shootout to cap one of the most exciting finals in World Cup history. Coman had an attempt saved by Argentina goalkeeper Emi Martinez and Aurelien Tchouameni then missed for France.


Liverpool’s Slot says football must do more after Vinicius racism allegation

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Liverpool’s Slot says football must do more after Vinicius racism allegation

  • The Dutchman said Jeremie Frimpong is still out this weekend but fellow defender Joe Gomez is ready to start if needed
Liverpool manager Arne Slot says more needs ‌to be done to avoid racism in football following allegations by Real Madrid’s Brazilian forward Vinicius Jr that he was subjected to racist abuse from Benfica’s ​Argentine winger Gianluca Prestianni.
Real’s 1-0 Champions League playoff first-leg win at Benfica on Tuesday was overshadowed by Vinicius accusing Prestianni of directing a racist slur at him, a charge denied by the Portuguese club, the player and their manager Jose Mourinho.
European soccer’s governing body UEFA said it was reviewing the incident, which led to the game being halted for 11 minutes under FIFA’s anti-racism protocol.
“In general ‌you can never ‌do enough, you can always do more ​to ‌make ⁠sure ​this (racism in ⁠football) never happens again,” Slot told reporters ahead of Liverpool’s Premier League visit to relegation-threatened Nottingham Forest on Sunday.
“We have to try as a football community to do more than society does. That’s maybe not so difficult, by the way. Protocol was followed in the game, that’s the first step,” he said on Thursday.
“I would hope my players ⁠would act in a similar way — immediately address it, ‌and the referee acts in a ‌similar way.”
Regarding the Forest game, Slot expects ​a different set-up under the Midlands ‌club’s new manager Vitor Pereira compared to the meeting in November ‌when Liverpool lost 3-0 at Anfield.
Former Wolverhampton Wanderers boss Pereira was appointed last Sunday to replace the sacked Sean Dyche.
“We only have tonight (Thursday) to see if this new manager changes personnel,” Slot said, referring to Forest’s first ‌game under Pereira at Fenerbahce in a Europa League playoff tie.
“The good thing is they have that ⁠game, and the ⁠manager was in the Premier League last season.”
The Dutchman said Jeremie Frimpong is still out this weekend but fellow defender Joe Gomez is ready to start if needed.
Slot said his side have improved over the past few months, with Liverpool sixth in the table on 42 points from 26 games.
“We have improved compared to three, four months ago. We are in a much better place than months ago,” the 47-year-old added.
“There are more reasons, but the most simple two are how fit we are and that we’re much better ​at set-pieces at the moment.”
Forest ​are languishing in 17th spot, one place and three points above West Ham United in the relegation zone.