Politician threatens legal action against superstar; illness hits Norway camp — WC Daily

Paraguayan senator Celeste Amarilla has threatened legal action against Kylian Mbappe after the French striker called out her racist comments this week.

Amarilla, a member of the leading opposition Liberal Party, aimed racist abuse at Mbappe following Paraguay’s World Cup exit, saying he was a “colonised Cameroonian who has really pretended to be French, embittered, nouveau riche, arrogant and ugly”.

Paraguay’s government condemned the remarks, while Mbappe offered a response on social media.

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“Mrs Celeste Amarilla, you are a despicable woman and not worthy of your position,” he wrote.

“You do not represent Paraguay, the country that has sweated passion and honour throughout the competition.”

French President Emmanuel Macron and FIFA president Gianni Infantino also condemned the racist attacks.

On Tuesday, Amarilla retracted her racist slurs, which she said were “written in the heat of the moment”, but demanded an apology and threatened legal action against Mbappe.

“My mixed-race blood — the beautiful blend of Indigenous and Spanish heritage that runs through my veins — was boiling,” Amarilla said in quotes published by ESPN.

“Later, I regretted responding with the same insults that I myself have received, because I too have been looked down upon for being dark-skinned, Latin American.”

She added: “I realised I was repeating the very behaviour that I despise, so I deleted the post.

“I understand that it upset you, because it was humiliating.

“Now I expect you to do the same: withdraw your remarks and apologise to me. I will not tolerate your aggression. You have no idea who I am and you have no right to say that I am a despicable woman, unworthy of the office I hold.

“This is gender-based violence, plain and simple.

“It is political violence against a woman who reached her position through the votes of her people.

“Retract your remarks, honour your French citizenship and apologise to me. Otherwise, I may begin legal proceedings on the grounds of gender-based violence.”

NORWAY HIT WITH ILLNESS SCARE

Norway’s football team is reportedly struggling with illness ahead of their World Cup quarter-final clash with England in Miami on Saturday.

According to Norwegian publication Dagbladet, striker Jorgen Strand Larsen and defender Marcus Holmgren Pedersen are among those affected, with constant travel impacting the squad.

“We’ve had a few players who haven’t been feeling well, but things are getting better,”

Norway coach Ståle Solbakken told media on Tuesday.

“It’s not ideal during a tournament, but we’re managing the situation.”

He added: “We’ve really only had Jorgen who has had a fever. But then there’s been a bit of coughing and rasping evenly, scattered throughout.

“But there’s air conditioning, flights, changing rooms and all that. We’re over 50 people so it would be strange if one or the other didn’t come.”

It comes after Norway knocked five-time champions Brazil out of the tournament with a 2-1 victory in the Round of 16.

Norway has never previously qualified for the World Cup semi-finals.

REFEREE GRAPHIC GOES VIRAL

Football conspiracy theorists are having a day to remember.

On Wednesday morning AEST, FIFA announced the match officials for the World Cup quarter-final between France and Morocco, with each of the five officials, including referee Facundo Tello, coming from Argentina.

Argentina and France are considered favourites to lift the trophy, so the announcement was inevitably met with some mixed reaction.

The Twitter post gained 28 million views in less than 12 hours, including 10,000 comments and 24,000 shares.

However, it should be acknowledged the three officials in charge of Argentina’s dramatic comeback win over Egypt in the Round of 16, including referee François Letexier, were French.

Letexier has come under scrutiny for controversial calls that seemingly aided Argentina’s cause.

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