French insults of World Cup team seen through racial prism

Members of the largely black team have been called 'gang bosses' and 'hoodlums,' disrespectful of France — terms often used to slur residents of the country's minority- and immigrant-filled ghettoes.

By Devorah Lauter, Los Angeles Times

Reporting from Paris — Impostors. Arrogant. Money-hungry idiots.

The insults aimed at France's World Cup team have been venomous following its drama-plagued early elimination from the international tournament.

Passionate hand-wringing at the humiliating fall of the team that won the 1998 World Cup can be expected from dismayed French fans. But some worry that the tirades against the ethnically mixed team are being too often seen through a racial prism, even if that's not the intent.

Few dispute that "Les Bleus," as the team is known, gave a subpar performance at the World Cup, the lowlights including a celebrity striker getting sent home for swearing at his coach, and the team's response by refusing to practice.

But since then, the members of the largely black team have been compared to "gang bosses" and "hoodlums" and said to be disrespectful of France — terms often used to slur residents of the country's minority- and immigrant-filled suburban ghettoes. As a result, many say that such commentary sparks racial hatred.

Criticizing the situation in France's ghettoes is a delicate tap dance, because focusing on the criminal and other negative aspects plaguing those areas inevitably circles back to the people living in the largely immigrant and heavily Muslim areas.

So, intentions aside, the current attacks against the team can "encourage prejudice," and "liberate racist speech," said the general director of the advocacy group SOS Racism, Guillaume Ayne.

Politicians have fervently joined in the harangues, in particular questioning team members' disobedience, and the decision by some on the squad not to sing France's national anthem, "La Marseillaise."

On French radio, philosopher Alain Finkielkraut said the players represent the "spirit of the cité," a term used for ghettoized housing projects, which he said are "devouring" French society.

Problems afflicting the projects include high crime, poor education and a failure to integrate immigrant youths into French culture.

Les Bleus are "a terrible mirror" of French society, said Finkielkraut on Europe 1 radio.

"Nobody has said anything openly racist, yet," said sociologist Jacques Tarnero, who studies racism. However, the risk of tipping into xenophobia comes up when the French team is associated with the problems of the French ghettoes. It could confuse the public, he said.

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