French Embassy in Argentina declares vice governor 'persona non grata' over 'African team' remarks

The French Embassy in Argentina has declared Mendoza's Vice Governor Hebe Casado 'persona non grata' following her controversial remarks about the French national soccer team. Casado, a politician close to President Javier Milei's La Libertad Avanza party, referred to the French team as an "ill-mannered African team" after their victory against Paraguay in the 2026 World Cup.

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It is a decision of mine as the representative of France in Argentina and defender of the fundamental values shared by our countries. There is no place for racism in Franco-Argentine cooperation. The vice-governor's statement calling the French team 'ill-mannered Africans' is clearly racist. And racism is not an opinion, it is a crime.

French Ambassador Romain Nadal strongly condemned Casado's statement, calling it "clearly racist" and emphasizing that racism is a crime, not an opinion. He stated that the embassy, as a representative of France and a defender of shared values, cannot tolerate such remarks. Nadal highlighted that French players are citizens by republican pact, not by skin color or origin, and that France is proud of its diversity.

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The truth is that I don't see the racist part of the comment. If someone takes it as racist, it is because they consider Africans inferior. I do not consider them inferior.

Casado attempted to backtrack, describing her comment as "football folklore" and suggesting that anyone interpreting it as racist must view Africans as inferior, which she denied. However, Nadal countered that her statement was contradictory for a representative of Argentina, a nation built on immigration. He questioned whether Argentina only welcomes European migration, turning African migration into an insult.

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The players of our team were born in France and our republican pact establishes citizenship not by skin color, nor by the origin of parents or grandparents. We are proud of our diversity and we will not tolerate this or any attempt to denigrate or deny the nationality of our players.

The embassy clarified that while Casado will not be received at the French embassy in Buenos Aires, she is free to travel to France. The incident underscores the sensitivity surrounding race and national identity in international sports and diplomacy.

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How can an official from a country like Argentina, which proudly claims to have welcomed migration with open arms, criticize another team whose players are also the product of immigration? It is not only a contradiction, but it is racism. Is immigration only welcome when it is European? But if it is African, does it become an insult?