Argentine football star, Enzo Fernandez has apologized after he racially abused France following his country’s 2024 Copa America triumph.
Earlier this week, a video went viral showing Enzo Fernandez and his other teammates engaging in racially sensitive chants against the France national team while celebrating their 2024 Copa America triumph.
The video was recorded from Fernandez’s Instagram Live which makes him the center of the scandal.
The lyrics of the chant mocked France for having mostly African players in their national team. This chant is similar to the one Argentina’s fans sang during the 2022 FIFA World Cup final between the country and France. Recall that Argentina won the final via penalties.
Hence, the France Football Federation (FFF) has decided to sue Argentina for the “racist and discriminatory” remarks, according to a statement from the football body on Tuesday.
Aside from that, Chelsea who have seven French footballers on their senior team are not happy that Fernandez was on the frontline of such an unceremonious act. Hence, they have begun disciplinary proceedings against the 2022 FIFA World Cup winner.
Also, Fernandez’s team-mate at Chelsea, Wesley Fofana who is from France and of mixed race, has taken to his X page to describe the chant as “uninhibited racism”.
Amid the backlash he has been subjected to since the footage of chanting the racially motivated remarks, Enzo Fernandez has taken to Instagram to tender his apology.
He wrote: “The song includes highly offensive language and there is absolutely no excuse for these words.
“I stand against discrimination in all forms and apologise for getting caught up in the euphoria of our Copa America celebrations.
“That video, that moments, those words, do not reflect my beliefs or my character.”
A statement from Chelsea added: “We acknowledge and appreciate our player’s public apology and will use this as an opportunity to educate.
“The club has instigated an internal disciplinary procedure.”
