Paris 2024 Olympics: “A reputation of being anti-white, anti-France…”, a French athlete suspended for hateful messages on social networks

Muhammad Abdallah Kounta, suspendu par la fédération d’athlétisme, pour des messages haineux. XinHua – Lui Siu Wai

Muhammad Abdallah Kounta, membre de l’équipe de France d’athlétisme lors des JO-2024, a été suspendu mercredi par sa fédération pour avoir publié et relayé sur les réseaux sociaux des propos incitant à la haine.

"The president of the "FFAthletisme" confirmed to me that he had suspended the athlete, notified the Public Prosecutor and the Disciplinary Commission of the Federation”, indicated the Minister of Sports Amélie Oudéa- Castera on X (ex-Twitter).

"People had fun digging through my tweets"

She described the messages and posts targeting Israel in particular as '"as shocking as they are unacceptable".

Published messages by Kounta have since been deleted. After deactivating his X account, Kounta later reactivated it to post an apology message in which he introduced himself as “French, Muslim and proud”.

“People have had fun digging through my tweets and taking some of my comments out of context, creating a reputation for me as anti-white, anti-France, anti-Semitic, and so on”, explained the athlete who participated in the men's and mixed 4x400m relays at the Olympics 2024.

“I sincerely apologize if anyone felt offended. I am against genocide and any form of racism or injustice, and I don't think I need to prove how much I love my country”, he continued.

The French Athletics Federation reacted

The FFA did not specifically comment on the Kounta case but on “statements by several athletes from the French team during the Olympic Games”, also in reference to the homophobic messages published ten years ago by middle-distance runner Hugo Hay, who also participated in the 2024 Olympics.

“The Federation reminds all athletes from the French team that the expression of their personal opinions must in no way put “The unity of French athletics and the French team is at risk, and must respect republican values,” she explained.

“She condemns the fact that athletes take the Olympic festival as an opportunity to expose their personal ideas, some of which constitute a crime,” she continued. text.