Tragically, on the same night that the Marseille player represented his country against Germany in the Stade de France, his close cousin, Asta Diakite, lost her life in the attacks on the French capital.
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In the wake of the dramatic events that occurred yesterday in Paris and Saint-Denis, it is with a heavy heart that I am taking the floor today.
As you may have read, I was touched personally by the attacks.
At least 127 people were killed and Diarra announced on Saturday evening that Diakite was among them.
“She has been a benchmark for me, support, a great sister”.
“In the climate of terror it’s important for all of us, who are representatives of our country and its diversity, to speak up and stay united in the face of a horror which has neither colour nor religion”.
Defending all love, respect and peace. It is believed that these loud explosions where indeed suicide bombers detonating themselves.
Teammate Antoine Griezmann, who also played on Friday, said his sister was in the audience at a concert at the Bataclan hall in Paris, where dozens were killed after a hostage taking.
French President Francois Hollande, who was watching the game, was immediately evacuated. “All my prayers are now with the families of the victims”, he tweeted.
The official death toll from the attacks are so far at 129, with 352 people understood to be injured.
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He said after these attacks, via the Daily Mail, “Right now we don’t have any particular information that the Euro could be a target. If that means implementing less “friendly” measures, so be it. What matters to me is that the people go home safe and healthy”.
