Ousmane Dembele has been caught in racism controversy, after a leaked video showed him making comments about Asian staff in a hotel with Antoine Griezmann.
Dembele and Griezmann were part of France’s Euro 2020 squad, who were knocked out of the competition by Switzerland earlier in the week.
The 24-year-old was one of Didier Deschamps many issues during the penalty shoot-out loss in the last 16, when the winger initially refused to come off with an injury.
However it is now his off field behaviour that is coming under the microscope, after leaked footage of himself and Griezmann in a hotel room surfaced.
I’m tired of racism towards Asians being brushed aside and not being talked about
Osumane Dembélé, you are a racist and a disgrace of a footballer 👍🏼pic.twitter.com/SoWo1q2EpR
— James 🏴🍻 (@UtdCinoci) July 3, 2021
The people in the video appear to be hotel workers or technicians, seemingly trying to get the television in the room working for the two footballers.
Dembele, recording on Snapchat, is believed to say to his club teammate, “All these ugly faces, just so you can play PES [Pro Evolution Soccer], aren’t you ashamed?”
He later adds, “What kind of backward language is that?” and “Are you technologically advanced in your country or not?”
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| Griezmann and Dembele play together for club and country. Image: PA Images |
Whilst Griezmann isn’t spotted saying anything during the interaction, the former Atletico Madrid forward is laughing at his friend throughout.
The striker’s haircut suggests that the video isn’t from the recent Euros and reports have claimed it’s actually from Barcelona’s pre-season tour to Asia in 2019.
At that point the Euro 2016 Golden Boot winner had just joined the Catalan giants from Atleti, the pair already knew each other at that time due to being in the national team set up.
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| Griezmann and Dembele during training with France. Image: PA Images |
It is not the first time that Griezmann has been involved in controversy surrounding racism. In 2017 the 30-year-old shocked people when he dressed in blackface for a fancy dress party.
The World Cup winner took to social media to post a picture of himself in a basketball t-shirt with the words “NBA All Stars” and wore an afro wig whilst covering himself in black face paint from head to toe.
He annoyed people further by telling everyone to “calm down” and didn’t apologise.
Featured Image Credit: PA/Twitter