‘France has no skin colour’ — Spain apologises over ex-PM’s remarks
(Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP) By Adegboyega Adeleye Spain has apologised to France after former Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy sparked a racism row by questioning the “Frenchness” of France’s national football team ahead of Tuesday’s FIFA World Cup semi-final.
The diplomatic row erupted after Rajoy wrote in Spanish online publication El Debate that while France had “a squad of the very highest calibre”, there were “no French players in it”—an apparent reference to the African and Afro-Caribbean heritage of several members of the World Cup holders’ squad.
Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who was in Paris for France’s National Day celebrations, also condemned the remarks, criticising “those who measure nationality by a person’s surname, birthplace or skin colour” and describing Rajoy’s comments as “shamefully xenophobic.
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