The United Nations Human Rights Office has strongly condemned racist remarks made by Paraguayan Senator Celeste Amarilla against France captain Kylian Mbappé, describing the comments as offensive, dehumanising and completely incompatible with the values of equality and human dignity.
The UN’s reaction came as the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) reaffirmed its zero-tolerance policy toward racism, hate speech and all forms of discrimination, while revealing that it has launched an investigation into a separate racist incident involving popular American content creator Darren Watkins Jr., widely known as IShowSpeed, during the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The dual developments have once again drawn global attention to the persistent challenge of racism in international football, despite years of anti-discrimination campaigns by football authorities, governments and human rights organisations.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, United Nations Human Rights spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan described Senator Amarilla’s comments as deeply offensive and indicative of a wider pattern of racial abuse that continues to affect footballers around the world.
“The racist and dehumanising remarks against French footballer Kylian Mbappé by Paraguayan Senator Celeste Amarilla are despicable and, regrettably, not isolated,” Al-Kheetan stated.
According to the UN, the incident illustrates the continuing prevalence of racism in sports and underscores the urgent need for stronger measures to combat discrimination at every level of society.
Al-Kheetan stressed that reports of racist abuse during major sporting competitions, including the ongoing FIFA World Cup, demonstrate that discrimination remains a serious concern requiring coordinated international action.
He noted that public office holders have a special responsibility to promote inclusion, tolerance and respect, rather than contribute to division and prejudice.
“Public officials have a heightened responsibility to stand against racism, discrimination and hate speech in their discourse,” he said.
The United Nations further called on governments, sporting institutions, football governing bodies and social media companies to strengthen efforts aimed at preventing racial abuse and ensuring perpetrators are held accountable.
According to Al-Kheetan, combating racism requires not only public condemnation but also the establishment of effective legal and institutional mechanisms capable of addressing discriminatory conduct.
“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 stated.
The UN also urged technology companies to assume greater responsibility for content circulating on their digital platforms, particularly material that promotes racial hatred or xenophobia.
“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,” Al-Kheetan added.
The controversy erupted shortly after France secured qualification for the quarter-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a victory over Paraguay.
France captain Kylian Mbappé converted the decisive penalty kick during the encounter before becoming involved in a brief post-match confrontation with Paraguayan goalkeeper Orlando Gill.
Video footage widely shared on social media appeared to show Gill attempting to shake hands with Mbappé after the final whistle.
The French forward, however, appeared to walk past without acknowledging the gesture.
Moments later, Gill was seen throwing the match ball in Mbappé’s direction, an incident that immediately generated widespread discussion among football supporters.
Speaking after the match, the Paraguayan goalkeeper admitted losing his composure following the exchange.
“I tried to shake his hand, but since he didn’t pay me any attention, I lost my temper,” Gill explained.
Although the on-field incident itself attracted significant attention, the controversy intensified after Senator Amarilla reacted publicly to a video of the goalkeeper recounting the encounter.
In a series of social media posts, the Paraguayan lawmaker launched personal attacks on Mbappé using language widely condemned as racist and discriminatory.
Among her comments, Amarilla described the France captain as “a colonised Cameroonian who has really pretended to be French.”
She also posted another message containing further racial insults, writing that Mbappé “didn’t even learn to write; instead of mother’s milk, he sucked on coconuts, and the most educated thing he heard was chimpanzees.”
The senator continued by suggesting that goalkeeper Gill should have responded differently to the incident, stating that he should have shown Mbappé “the finger.”
She further referred to the footballer as “a colonised Cameroonian, pretending hard to be French, resentful, newly rich, arrogant, and ugly.”
Amarilla additionally claimed that Mbappé appeared “nervous and scared to death” throughout the World Cup encounter.
The remarks quickly triggered widespread condemnation from football fans, human rights advocates, political observers and sports administrators across the world.
Mbappé responded directly through his verified account on X, formerly Twitter, where he strongly criticised the senator’s comments and questioned her suitability for public office.
“Madame Celeste Amarilla, you are a despicable woman and unworthy of your position,” the French international wrote.
He further stated that Amarilla’s comments did not reflect the values of the Paraguayan people.
“You do not represent Paraguay, that country which has sweated passion and honour throughout the competition,” Mbappé added.
Rather than retract her remarks, Amarilla later demanded an apology from the French footballer and reportedly threatened legal action over his response.
The dispute has since generated intense international debate regarding racism in football, political accountability and the responsibilities of elected officials when engaging on public platforms.
Meanwhile, FIFA has reiterated its commitment to eliminating discrimination from football.
In a statement released by its media department on Tuesday, the world football governing body emphasized that racism has no place within the sport or society at large.
“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 stated.
FIFA also disclosed that it has opened a separate investigation into another alleged racist incident that occurred during the Argentina versus Cabo Verde match played at Miami Stadium on July 3.
According to FIFA, the incident involved American internet personality IShowSpeed and a spectator attending the match.
“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,” the statement said.
Although FIFA did not disclose further details regarding the alleged incident, the governing body reaffirmed its determination to investigate every allegation of discriminatory conduct thoroughly.
The organisation stressed that the FIFA World Cup represents far more than a football competition, describing it as a global celebration of cultural diversity, mutual respect and international unity.
“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,” FIFA added.
The latest incidents have once again highlighted the enduring challenge of racism in international football despite years of awareness campaigns, stricter disciplinary regulations and educational programmes.
Human rights organisations have consistently argued that while football authorities have introduced stronger sanctions against discriminatory behaviour inside stadiums, greater efforts are still required to address racism occurring on social media, in political discourse and across wider society.
With both the United Nations and FIFA publicly condemning the latest incidents, pressure is mounting on governments, sporting organisations, technology companies and public officials to strengthen preventive measures, enforce accountability and ensure that football remains a platform that promotes equality, respect and inclusion for players, officials and supporters from every part of the world.
