French Olympic Commentator Blasted For Calling Japanese Gymnasts ‘Little Pikachus’

French Olympic Commentator Blasted For Calling Japanese Gymnasts ‘Little Pikachus’

French gymnast and commentator Thomas Bouhail is in serious trouble for some racist remarks made during the Olympics according to Next Shark:

One French gymnastics commentator has stirred up the internet’s political correctness militia with a seemingly racist remark in relation to Pokémon Go.

French gymnast Thomas Bouhail, a silver medalist at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and now-coach of the French national team, was serving as an announcer and analyst at a women’s gymnastics event at the Rio Olympics when he referred to Japanese gymnastics team as a bunch of “little Pikachus.”

The comment in it’s entire context was:

“They are smiling like cartoon characters; they look like a bunch of little Pikachus.”

While his comment likely had no racist or offensive intent behind it, Bouhail was subsequently attacked on Twitter, but mostly by French citizens. In Japan, the comment was paraphrased and caused little controversy.

Netizens still weighed in with many finding the comment endearing:

“Small Pikachus, hahaha! How cute.”

That’s racist!!!!

Twitter