French sports minister blasts racist Russian chants as FIFA is called upon to act

French players celebrating a goal against Russia in a 3-1 win. [Photo: Courtesy]

France's sports minister has condemned the "inadmissible" monkey chants aimed at French players Paul Pogba and Ousmane Dembele during the international friendly against Russia in Saint Petersburg on Tuesday.

Laura Flessel, a former two-time Olympic champion in fencing, posted a message on her Twitter account on Wednesday.

Racism has no place on the football pitch," she said.

"We have to take action together on a European and international level to bring an end to this inadmissible behaviour."

During the second half of France's 3-1 victory over Russia, an AFP photographer heard monkey chants aimed at Barcelona winger Dembele, while internet users claimed to have heard Manchester United midfielder Pogba targeted.

Neither the players not the French team management, approached by AFP, commented on the allegations.

Russia is under the microscope as it will host the World Cup from June 14 to July 15.

The country has also come under scrutiny after the International Olympic Committee banned Russia from last month's Winter Games in South Korea over a state-sponsored doping programme that reached its zenith at the Sochi Olympics four years ago.

Seven World Cup matches will be held in Saint Petersburg's 68,000-capacity stadium, including a semi-final.

Russian football has long been blighted by the scourge of racist chanting from the terraces and world football governing body FIFA says it is closely monitoring the situation in the country.

The Football Against Racism in Europe (FARE) anti-discrimination network reported 89 racist and far-right incidents at Russian games in the 2016/17 season.

Most recently, Spartak Moscow were hit with a suspended stadium ban by the Russian Football Union over almost a minute of racist chanting directed at Lokomotiv Moscow's Brazilian goalkeeper Guilherme Marinato earlier this month.

Calls on FIFA

FIFA Headquarters: They have been called up to act. [Photo: Courtesy]

Anti-racism crusaders have come out in the limelight to condemn the incident and they are now calling upon the world football governing body FIFA to conduct investigations and bring the culprits to book.

The head of Fare Network Piara Powar said that investigations should not be viewed to be a complicated affair.

"If photographers heard it pitch-side, then there must have been stewards and other officials who also heard it,” said Piara Powar, as revealed by USA Today.

After calling on action to be taken on the incident, Powar said that Russian government should do more to ensure that all the teams participate smoothly in the forthcoming World Cup scheduled for June.

“If, toward the end of March, these guys don't know what to do, and they're not initiating procedures and protocols that exist, then that doesn't bode very well for the World Cup.”

"So close to the World Cup, questions are being asked as to why it wasn't dealt with as it occurred during play," said Powar, as indicated by USA Today.