French World Cup winner Christian Karembeu said his niece and nephew were killed during violence in New Caledonia.
Seven people were killed during troubles in the French Pacific territory, where Karembeu was born, after controversial electoral reforms.
Karembeu, 53, is a strategic advisor and ambassador for Greek club Olympiakos, who face Fiorentina in the Europa Conference League final on Wednesday in Athens.
“I lost members of my family. That’s why I remained silent, because I’m grieving. Two people in my family were shot in the head,” said the former Middlesbrough midfielder. Karembeu told Europa 1.
“We hope there will be investigations into these murders.”
The protests in New Caledonia, a group of islands between Australia and Fiji, were led by the indigenous Kanak community, of which Karembeu is a member.
Currently, voting in the territory is restricted to indigenous Kanaks and those who arrived from France before 1998.
The planned reform would allow more French residents – including those who have been in New Caledonia for at least 10 years – to vote.
Karembeu moved to mainland France at the age of 17 to pursue a career in professional football and won 53 caps for the national team, including winning the 1998 World Cup.
He also played for Nantes, Sampdoria, Real Madrid, Olympiakos, Servette and Bastia.
