Photo of Antoine Griezmann (left) by Biser Todorov via Wikimedia Commons. Photo of Ousmane Dembele (right) by Real Valladolid via Wikimedia Commons
FC Barcelona and French national team stars Antoine Griezmann and Ousmane Dembele have issued apologies after a video of them appearing to mock Japanese hotel staff surfaced, ESPN reports.
The video went viral on social media over the weekend. The footage was taken in 2019 while the pair were in Japan for Barcelona’s preseason tour.
In the video, Dembele can be heard questioning the staff’s “backward language” as they attempt to fix something in the room, according to The Bleacher Report. Griezmann can be heard mimicking the staff’s accent and using the words “ching chong.”
On Monday the pair released statements apologizing for their behavior.
“Hello all, during these last few days, a private video dating back to 2019 has been circulating on social media,” Dembele wrote on Instagram. “It all took place in Japan. It could’ve taken place anywhere on the planet and I would’ve used the same expression.
He added that he did mock the staff because they were Japanese.
“I was therefore not targetting any community. I just happened to use this type of expression with my friends regardless of their origins.”
He did, however, apologize to the staff in the video.
“This video has since been made public. I appreciate therefore that it could’ve hurt the people present in these images. Because of this, I would like to sincerely apologise to them.”
Griezmann issued a statement on Twitter.
“I have always been completely against all forms of discrimination,” he wrote, according to a translation by ESPN. “For the past few days, certain people have wanted to paint me as someone that I am not. I firmly refute the accusations made against me and I’m sorry if I have offended any of my Japanese friends.”
There has been no word yet from Barca, the Spanish FA or the France Football Federation as to whether the pair will face further punishment, ESPN reports.
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it must be the culture of world soccer players. when I was in China in the mid-2000s the Anglo soccer players were mocking the Chinese in China in the elevators and escalators. When the coach sat near me at breakfast and realized I spoke English as an American he did at least express his embarrassment for his team’s behavior.
What kind of apology comes with a denial of being racist? Ah the arrogance of these two and no doubt much of the planet.