France's Pogba, Dembele Were Targets of Alleged Racist Monkey Chants in Russia

FIFA has been called upon to take action after claims that Paul Pogba and Ousmane Dembele were racially abused while playing for France in Russia.

FIFA has been called upon to take action after claims that Paul Pogba and Ousmane Dembele were racially abused while playing for France in Russia on Tuesday night, ESPN have reported.

Both players were reportedly the target of monkey chants from a section of the crowd as France beat this year's World Cup hosts 3-1 in St. Petersburg.

Football Against Racism in Europe (FARE) has since urged FIFA to launch an investigation, while French Minister for Sport Laura Flessel called for "unified" action.

"Racism has no place on football pitches," she wrote on Twitter. "We have to act in unison at a European and international level in order to stop this inadmissible behavior."

« Le racisme n’a pas sa place sur les terrains de football. Nous devons agir de concert au niveau européen et international afin de faire cesser ces comportements inadmissibles » #FRARUS #exaequo.
Crédits FFF/ Bastien Lheritier. pic.twitter.com/kRB1fbBNjO

— Laura Flessel (@FlesselLaura) March 28, 2018

The Russian Football Federation reportedly told ESPN that it was aware of the complaints. The French Football Federation and FIFA have also been contacted for comment.

Piara Powar, the head of FARE, said: "There should be enough there for FIFA to initiate proceedings. If photographers heard it pitchside, then there must have been stewards and other officials who also heard it.

"If, toward the end of March, these guys don't know what to do, and they're not initiating procedures and protocols that exist, then that doesn't bode very well for the World Cup.

"So close to the World Cup, questions are being asked as to why it wasn't dealt with as it occurred during play."

FARE reportedly logged 89 racist and right-wing extremist-linked incidents in the Russian league in 2016-17.

This is the third racism case at St. Petersburg Stadium, which is set to host a World Cup semifinal this summer.