PARIS — Karim Benzema unleashed a new storm of controversy Wednesday by saying French coach Didier Deschamps had "bowed to pressure from a racist part of France" by keeping him out of the Euro 2016 squad.
With race a permanent cause of divisions in France, politicians and France's football establishment leaped to Deschamps defense over the interview that the Real Madrid star gave to a Spanish newspaper.
Benzema was excluded from France's squad after being charged with complicity in an attempt to blackmail France teammate Mathieu Valbuena over a sextape.
But questions about the motives for excluding Benzema and fellow striker Hatem Ben Arfa have been raised by France football legend Eric Cantona and comedian Jamel Debbouze setting off a new racism debate.
Marca sports daily asked Benzema whether he believed Deschamps was racist.
"No, I don't think so. But he bowed to pressure from a racist part of France," Benzema replied, referring to the right-wing National Front.
"They said I cannot be selected, fine. But on a sporting level, I don't understand why," he said.
"At a legal level, I am still innocent until proven guilty. They should wait until the justice system has made its decision."
The forward said he was "convinced" his suspension was due to outside forces.
When France won the World Cup in 1998 it was hailed as a major step for recognizing the country's multi-cultural roots.
However the National Front's rise in recent elections and polls has brought immigration and race back into the political debate.
National Front deputy leader Florian Philippot laid into Benzema on Twitter, declaring: "The French people should not have to put up with your unworthy accusations because you flee your responsibilities."
Mainstream parties leapt to Deschamps's defense.
French Sports Minister Patrick Kanner said: "I can understand Mr. Benzema's disappointment but under no circumstances are his statements acceptable regarding what he said about Mr. Deschamps's sporting decisions nor his personality."
Socialist Party parliamentarian Benoit Hamon told Europe 1 radio station that Benzema was "right to say we are in a country where racism is on the rise". But he insisted there was no evidence of racism by Deschamps.
Francois Fillon, prime minister from 2007 to 2012, slammed Benzema's comments: "Forever bringing the nation's problems down to questions of race, religion and ethnic communities, it's unhealthy."
French Football Federation president Noel Le Graet said Deschamps was "blameless" and that Benzema had "let himself go a bit too far".
Rising French star Kingsley Coman called the racism accusations "ridiculous".
"There are a lot of colored people, or people of different origins, in the team," Coman told a press conference at a team training camp in Austria.
"Racism, I can't see it. It's just ridiculous," said the Bayern Munich winger who is black.
Benzema is France's top scorer with 27 goals in 81 appearances, but even if selected for Euro 2016, it's unlikely he would have been first choice forward ahead of the in-form Antoine Griezmann
But the race controversy is a blow so close to the start of the tournament in France on June 10.
Cantona set off the race debate by saying Benzema and Ben Arfa, who has had one of the best season's of his career with Nice, were not in the French squad because of their "North African origins".
Benzema's family are Algerian-origin. Ben Arfa's father was a Tunisian international.
Debbouze, a controversial comedian, said the two players are "paying for the social situation" in France.
Whether Benzema should be allowed back into the France team has been a national debate virtually since he was charged in November.
Prime Minister Manuel Valls and other politicians opposed any return while the sex-tape inquiry goes on. Benzema denies any wrongdoing in the case.
