A message to try to put an end to the controversy.
While he is the subject, like his teammate at FC Barcelona Antoine Griezmann, of many criticisms after the broadcast of a video in which he openly mocks employees in Japan coming to perform a technical intervention in their room, Ousmane Dembélé wished to return to the controversy agitating social networks.
By apologizing, first, to people who could have been offended by the sequence dating from 2019 during a tour of FC Barcelona in Asia.
“
This video is now public.
I can imagine that she could have offended the people in these images.
Therefore I offer them my sincerest apologies.
"
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"It (the scene, editor's note) could have taken place anywhere on the planet, I would have used the same expressions",
Ousmane Dembele
But the “
Barça
”
striker
, who recalls the private nature of the video, defends himself from any anti-Asian racism, confessing sometimes to making this kind of comment in private.
"
It
(the scene, Editor's note)
could have taken place anywhere on the planet, I would have used the same expressions
", writes the international tricolor, implicated with Antoine Griezmann present next to him in the room.
“
So I wasn't targeting any community.
I sometimes use these kinds of expressions in private, with friends, regardless of their origin.
"
Ousmane Dembélé's word of apology on social networks.
Shortly after this update, Antoine Griezmann also spoke, still on social networks. Like his teammate in Catalonia, the Blues striker wanted to apologize but “
firmly refutes
” the accusations of racism to which he is the subject. “
I have always been committed against any form of discrimination. For the past few days, some people have wanted to pass me off as the man I am not. I firmly refute the accusations made against me and I am sorry if I could offend my Japanese friends.
"
In recent years, Antoine Griezmann, 30, had been criticized for a "blackface" posted on social networks.
The former Atlético player had however pleaded awkwardness, he who recently reneged on his advertising commitment with Huawei in support of the Uighurs, the Chinese brand being suspected of having designed facial recognition software for this Muslim minority.
A gesture widely welcomed.
"All those dirty faces ... To play PES my brother ..."
Ousmane Dembele
In this video sequence which resurfaces just days after the elimination of the Blues at the Euro, the two international tricolors lend themselves to bad taste jokes, openly mocking the origin of the employees in question, with a lot of zooms little advantageous and fat laughter. "
Oh damn, the language ...
" Dembélé smiles first, referring to the exchanges between the technicians. And to add, all smiles: "
All those dirty faces ... To play PES my brother ...
".
If he does not say anything audible during the sequence concerned, let's say that “
Grizou
” is (very) good audience… And he enjoys the disturbing remarks of his teammate in club and in selection. "
Are you ahead or are you not ahead in your country?"
», Adds Ousmane Dembélé, not afraid of clichés about Asians. In another video, Griezmann finally appears to be indulging in a crass caricature by imitating Asian speaking.