- France players racially abused after final defeat
- F1's Hamilton "disgusted but not surprised"
- Tchouameni reposted Hamilton's Instagram support
WHAT HAPPENED? Hamilton took to Instagram stories to respond to the news that France's Aurelien Tchouameni and Randal Kolo Muano had been forced to turn off comments on their social media due to the amount of racist abuse they were receiving. The F1 legend condemned such attacks and highlighted the efforts the two players had made for their country.
WHAT THEY SAID:"Disgusted but not surprised," Hamilton wrote on his Instagram story. "[Tchouameni] and [Kolo Muani] gave it everything. They're heroes to so many and deserve nothing but respect."
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Hamilton himself has been subject to racist abuse during his time as an F1 driver, and has been a frequent voice in condemning such attacks throughout sport.
Tchuoameni and Bayern Munich's Kingsley Coman missed penalties in the World Cup final shootout, while Kolo Muani spurned a guilt-edged opportunity in the final seconds of extra-time. Abhorrent responses from France fans online followed after the final, something which the players, French Federation and clubs of those affected soon came out to denounce.
IN THREE PHOTOS:
Getty Images
Getty
InstagramWHAT NEXT? While the likes of Tchouameni and Kolo Muani take a step back from social media, it remains to be seen whether the French Federation will take any further action into the perpetrators responsible for the abuse.