Whether or not FIFA will take action remains to be seen, but the incident serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing fight against racism in football globally.
The French Football Federation (FFF) has taken a strong stance against racist abuse directed towards French players of African descent. This follows a video circulating online that shows Argentina players singing offensive chants after their Copa América victory on Sunday.
Rcist chants target France players heritage
The video, widely shared on social media by Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez, features Argentina players singing a derogatory song targeting French players.
These chants, which also surfaced during the 2022 World Cup final between France and Argentina, single out French athletes based on their African heritage despite holding French passports.
Here is Enzo Fernandez and Argentina players celebrating that Copa America win by singing that racist France chant from the 2022 World Cup pic.twitter.com/pxoaX2MApE
— GC (@ValverdeSZN) July 15, 2024
The FFF issued a statement condemning the “racist and discriminatory remarks” made by Argentina players. The statement further reveals that the federation will be filing a legal complaint with FIFA and contacting their Argentinian counterparts to address the issue.
“The president of the French Football Federation, Philippe Diallo, condemns in the strongest terms the unacceptable racist and discriminatory remarks made against the players of the France team,” the statement reads.
The French Football Federation will file a complaint with FIFA over an alleged “racist and discriminatory” song sung by some of the Argentina’s players about the French national team, and live streamed by Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez.
Chelsea are investigating and treating…
— Ben Jacobs (@JacobsBen) July 16, 2024
Following the backlash, Enzo Fernandez issued an apology on Instagram, acknowledging the offensive nature of the video and expressing regret for his participation.
“I want to apologise sincerely for a video posted on my Instagram channel during the national team celebrations,” Fernández wrote. “The song includes highly offensive language and there is no excuse for these words…That video, that moment, those words, do not reflect my beliefs or my character.”
FIFA Zero Tolerance policy
The incident reignites discussions about racism in football. FIFA has repeatedly advocated for a “zero tolerance” approach to racism in the sport. In May, FIFA president Gianni Infantino reaffirmed this commitment by announcing the relaunch of a task force dedicated to monitoring and responding to racist incidents.
The FFF’s legal action sends a clear message that racist actions have no place in football. Whether or not FIFA will take action remains to be seen, but the incident serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing fight against racism in football globally.
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