France lock Bastien Chalureau has denied accusations he is racist following his controversial call-up for the Rugby World Cup.
The 31-year-old Montpellier player is appealing against a suspended six-month prison sentence for a racially-motivated attack in 2020.Chalureau, who has six Test caps, was added to Les Bleus' 33-man squad by head coach Fabien Galthie following the injury withdrawal of Paul Willemse.'I am not a racist, I do not have those values,' he told a press conference on Monday.
'What I want to say to you is that I confessed to my mistakes, that I paid my debts and I deny all claims about racist remarks.'While visiting the squad on Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron was recorded telling head coach Galthie: 'We don't want the controversy getting out of hand.
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