Barcelona sponsor Rakuten blasts Antoine Griezmann and Ousmane Dembele discriminatory comments as ‘unacceptable’
- Rakuten CEO Hiroshi Mikitani says shirt sponsor has made formal protest to La Liga club over player comments
- Pair apologise on Monday but club remains silent over controversial videos filmed on Japanese tour in 2019
The CEO of FC Barcelona’s sponsor, Rakuten, has expressed his disappointment at the behaviour of star players Antoine Griezmann and Ousmane Dembele while on a tour to Japan in 2019, calling their comments “unacceptable”.
Hiroshi Mikitani, the chief executive of e-commerce giant Rakuten, spoke out against the pair on Twitter on Tuesday.
“As a club sponsor and tour organiser, I am very sorry that the FCB (Barcelona) players made discriminatory remarks,” Mikitani wrote.
“Since Rakuten has endorsed Barça’s philosophy and sponsored the club, such statements are unacceptable under any circumstances and will formally protest the club and seek their views.”
La Liga giants Barcelona are yet to comment on the videos, though there have been reports that Griezmann has apologised to Mikitani and that Dembele is expected to do so.
Rakuten have been Barcelona’s shirt sponsor since 2016 when the pair signed a deal worth US$65 million a year. Barcelona extended the deal, which was due to expire this summer, until the end of the 2021-22 season.
As well as being the main sponsor, Rakuten are Barcelona’s global innovation and entertainment partner.
Video games manufacturer Konami are another club partner from Japan, with the club exclusively appearing in their Pro Evolution Soccer series.
Both Dembele and Griezmann issued statements on the videos via social media on Monday.
“Hello everyone,” Dembele wrote in French on an Instagram story. “Lately, a private video from 2019 circulated on the social networks.
“The scene happens in Japan. It could have happened anywhere on the planet, I would have used the same expressions. Therefore I was not aiming at any community.
“I happen to use these kind of expressions in private, with friends, and it doesn’t matter their origin. This video is now public. Therefore I concede that the video could hurt the people in these images. Therefore, I offer my sincere apologies.”
Griezmann wrote his statement on Twitter: “I have always been committed against any form of discrimination. For the past few days, some people have wanted to pass me off as the man I am not. I firmly refute the accusations made against me and I am sorry if I could offend my Japanese friends.”
