Antoine Griezmann and Ousmane Dembelé were accused of racism for a video that circulated a few days ago on social networks in which both left making derogatory gestures towards Japanese culture in 2019. The unrest in Japan has reached such a caliber that even Hiroshi Mikitani, president de Rakuten, the main sponsor of the Barça club, has asked for an explanation for this incident. The two players have already publicly excused themselves, and Barcelona has issued a statement this Wednesday in which it also apologizes and “reserves the right to take the internal measures it deems appropriate.”
FC Barcelona deeply regrets the discontent that a video that appeared a few days ago has caused among the Japanese and Asian fans and the members of our club in social networks in which two players from the first team (Ousmane Dembélé and Antoine Griezmann) showed a lack of respect in their attitude towards several employees of the hotel where they were staying.
This attitude does not coincide in any way with the values that FC Barcelona represents and defends.
The values of the club and its sponsors must be something that FC Barcelona protects, and this conviction is present at all levels of the organization, from the Board of Directors and executives to the players of the different sports teams of the Club.
The Club is committed to enhancing this education on issues of race, discrimination, and diversity. At FC Barcelona there is no place for racism or discrimination.
FC Barcelona wants to publicly apologize to all the Club's fans and sponsors who are unhappy with this event in the summer of 2019, moment in which the responsibilities of the Club fell on a Board of Directors and an executive team prior to the current one. The Board of Directors that today manages the Club is committed to not repeating episodes of this nature.
The players have already expressed their regret and apologized to the Japanese fans and sponsors, something that the Club values. Nevertheless, FC Barcelona reserves the right to take the internal measures it deems appropriate.