CHELSEA have a launched an investigation into a video uploaded on social media by Enzo Fernandez.
The clip, which the French Football Federation (FFF) allege is racist, shows Fernandez and a number of his Argentina team-mates chanting a derogatory song about the French national team.
The clip was streamed on Fernendez’s Instagram live and quickly gathered a lot of attention online.
Fernandez’s Chelsea team-mate Wesley Fofana took to X to slam the clip, posting: “Football in 2024: uninhibited racism”.
While the FFF have released a statement that claims it will file a legal complaint about the remarks made by the Argentina players in the video.
It read: “The president of the French Football Federation, Philippe Diallo, condemns in the strongest terms the unacceptable racist and discriminatory remarks which were made against the players of the French team in the context of a song sung by players and supporters of the Argentina team after its victory in the Copa America and broadcast in a video on social media.
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“Faced with the seriousness of these shocking remarks, contrary to the values of sport and human rights, the president of the FFF decided to directly challenge his Argentinian counterpart and FIFA, and to file a legal complaint for insulting remarks of a racist and discriminatory nature.”
Chelsea themselves are yet to release a statement.
The video was filmed following Argentina’s 1-0 Copa America win over Colombia.
The vile chant being sung by the Argentina players is understood to date back to the 2022 World Cup, when Argentina beat France in the final on penalties.
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Appearing on live TV, some fans from the South American country sang that France’s players were “all from Angola”.
In the video, Fernandez and some of his team-mates could be heard to sing the part about Angola.
Fofana, who took to X to condemn the video, is a French international with an Ivorian father.
Chelsea have a host of French stars including Fofana, Christopher Nkunku, Malo Gusto, Axel Disasi, Benoit Badiashile and Lesley Ugochukwu.
Several players from the West London club have reportedly unfollowed Fernandez on Instagram.
The Argentina squad contains multiple players from the Premier League.
Those players include Lisandro Martinez and Alejando Garnacho of Manchester United, Man City’s Julian Alvarez, Liverpool midfielder Alexis Mac Allister, Tottenham’s Cristian Romero and Giovani Lo Celso and Aston Villa keeper Emi Martinez.
It’s unclear if any of them were involved in the chanting.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
