French soccer federation and Mbappé send support to Fofana after online racist abuse

PARIS (AP) — The French soccer federation has condemned the racist abuse directed at Chelsea defender Wesley Fofana after the Premier League team's loss at Arsenal.

The governing body said Wednesday the online attacks “are unacceptable” and called for the abusers to be prosecuted and sanctioned.

“I want to assure Wesley of my full support," federation president Philippe Diallo said. “On the pitch as elsewhere, racism is intolerable. It must be fought and punished.”

Fofana, a 24-year-old Marseille native, used his Instagram stories to highlight the messages he was sent on the platform after Sunday's 1-0 loss at Emirates Stadium. They included racist words and monkey emojis.

Chelsea said it was “appalled and disgusted” by the rise in online abuse toward its players.

Fofana started the match and was substituted after 86 minutes.

France captain Kylian Mbappé said he is worried things are not changing in soccer when it comes to such abuse.

“Unfortunately, we are turning around in circles because nothing is moving forward. Nothing is changing," Mbappé said Wednesday at a pre-match news conference ahead of France's Nations League quarterfinal against Croatia. “It's hard to tell yourself that in 2025 we are going back to square one each time."

Mbappé said the whole France team was behind Fofana.

“I haven't had Wesley on the phone yet, but what I can tell him is that I support him and so does all the team,” he said. “We are all with him during this difficult period. They are not just words. If he needs anything we are here for him.”

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Chelsea's Wesley Fofana, centre, challenges for the ball with Arsenal's Leandro Trossard during the English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Chelsea at Emirates stadium in London, Sunday, March 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)

ISLAMABAD (AP) — A gas cylinder explosion early Sunday after a wedding reception at a home in Pakistan’s capital killed at least eight people, including the bride and groom, police and officials said.

The blast occurred as guests who had gathered to celebrate the couple were sleeping at the house, causing part of the house to collapse, according to the Islamabad police. Seven people were injured.

In a statement, police said the explosion occurred in a residential area in the heart of the city. A government administrator, Sahibzada Yousaf, said authorities were alerted about the blast early Sunday and officers are still investigating. He said some nearby homes were also damaged.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed grief over the loss of lives and offered condolences to the victims’ families, according to a statement from his office. He directed health authorities to ensure the injured receive the best possible treatment and ordered a full investigation.

Many Pakistani households rely on liquefied petroleum gas cylinders because of low natural gas pressure, and such cylinders have been linked to deadly accidents caused by gas leaks. Police said investigations were ongoing.

Government officials survey the damage of a home caused by a gas cylinder explosion hours after a wedding reception, in Islamabad, Pakistan, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Ehsan Shahzad)