A video of racist chants by Argentinian national players about the French national team has caused outrage. Now there are first consequences.
Chelsea FC has initiated disciplinary proceedings against its midfielder Enzo Fernández. The 23-year-old had shared a video in which racist chants about the French national football team can be heard. His English employer from London condemned discriminatory behavior in any form in a statement. The world football association FIFA also announced an investigation into the incident.
French association wants to complain
Previously, Philippe Diallo, President of the French Football Federation (FFF), announced that he would file a complaint with FIFA over racist and discriminatory comments made by Argentine national team players. Diallo was referring to a song sung by players of the Argentine national team after their 1-0 victory against Colombia at the Copa América on Sunday and shared in a video on social networks.
The video, posted on Instagram by Premier League player Fernández, shows Argentine players singing derogatory lyrics on a bus after the final victory over French players of African descent. French defender Wesley Fofana, who also plays for Chelsea, posted the video on his social media accounts and described it as “unbridled racism”.
Public apology from Fernandez
Fernández later deleted his video and apologized in an Instagram story on Wednesday. “The song contains extremely offensive language and there is absolutely no excuse for those words,” wrote the 23-year-old. “I am against discrimination in any form and I apologize for getting carried away by the euphoria of our Copa América celebration. This video, this moment, these words do not reflect my beliefs or my character. I am truly sorry.”
The French Football Federation had previously announced: “Given the seriousness of these shocking statements, which contradict the values of sport and human rights, the President of the FFF has decided to speak directly to his Argentinian colleague and FIFA.” Diallo strongly condemned the unacceptable racist and discriminatory statements against the French national team players.
French Sports Minister Amélie Oudéa-Castéra wrote on X: “Pathetic. Behavior that is even more unacceptable when repeated.”
Similar incident during Argentina’s World Cup triumph
Before the World Cup final in Qatar between France and Argentina two years ago, some Argentine fans had already started singing the same chants, the AP news agency reported. FIFA President Gianni Infantino had declared that football and its 211 national associations must pursue a zero-tolerance policy towards racism and promised in May to reinstate a task force to monitor such incidents.
The final between Argentina and Colombia on Sunday was accompanied by chaotic conditions. The match could not kick off until almost 90 minutes late because fans without tickets tried to get into the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.
Source: Stern
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