French rugby player Melvyn Jaminet has been suspended and has exited the French team’s tour in Argentina following a racist remark in a video on his social media, for which he has apologized. The video, now deleted but still circulating online, shows Jaminet making derogatory comments about Arabs. The French Rugby Federation (FFR) strongly condemned these comments, stating they are against the fundamental values of rugby and has launched an internal investigation to fully address the incident.
Jaminet, who plays professionally for Toulon, also faced disapproval from his club, which distanced itself from his remarks and is conducting its own inquiry. The FFR emphasized its dedication to diversity, inclusion, and secularism, reaffirming that discrimination has no place in rugby.
In his apology on Instagram, Jaminet expressed deep regret, clarifying that his comments do not reflect his personal values or those of the French Rugby team. He acknowledged the seriousness of his actions and accepted the FFR’s decision.
The French minister for sport, Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, supported the suspension, advocating for zero tolerance towards racism. Jaminet, a regular for the national team since 2021 and participant in all group games of last year’s World Cup in France, entered the recent match against Argentina late and scored a penalty, contributing to France’s 28-13 win.
