Serena Williams claims she was denied entry to a restaurant and the owner responds

The American tennis player, who is in the French capital enjoying the Olympic Games with his family since they opened on August 1, has denounced that a well-known and exclusive Parisian restaurant has denied him entry. In a message through social networks, Serena Williams publicly points out the reputable establishment: “I’ve been denied access to eat on the roof of an empty restaurant and in nicer places, but never with my children. There’s always a first time.”

The owner of the restaurant was quick to respond to the message from the athlete, who carried the Olympic flame at the opening ceremony: “We apologise for the disappointment you suffered tonight. Regrettably, our rooftop bar was fully booked and the only unoccupied tables you saw belonged to our gourmet restaurant, L’Oiseau Blanc, which was also fully booked,” they said. They also made it clear that it is an “honour” for them to welcome a public figure of this nature and that they will be delighted to receive her visit in the future.

The issue has sparked a heated debate on social media, from those who accuse the establishment of being “racist” to those who claim that a celebrity should not have preference or preferential treatment over anonymous people.