Asunci³n: The UN human rights office has condemned the racist remarks directed at French football star Kylian Mbappe by Paraguayan Senator Celeste Amarilla, highlighting a broader issue of racism in sports.

According to Anadolu Agency, UN Human Rights spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan described the comments as "despicable" and part of a "wider phenomenon across football and sports more broadly." Al-Kheetan emphasized the heightened responsibility of public officials to oppose racism, discrimination, and hate speech in their public communications.

The UN rights office urged governments and sports organizations to actively prevent such incidents and to ensure accountability mechanisms are in place. Social media companies were also called upon to address racial discrimination and xenophobic abuse on their platforms, adhering to international human rights standards.

The remarks by Amarilla followed Paraguay's 1-0 defeat to France in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where Mbappe's penalty secured France's victory. Amarilla's comments on X criticized Mbappe's Cameroonian heritage, leading to widespread backlash. She later deleted the posts and issued an open letter expressing regret for using similar insults she had received as a mixed-race individual.

In response, Mbappe denounced Amarilla on X, calling her actions "despicable" and asserted that she was "unworthy of her position." He declared his commitment to preventing hate and racism from being spread by individuals like her, stressing that Amarilla does "not represent Paraguay."