The French Football Federation (FFF) has announced its intention to file a legal complaint against the Argentina Football Federation (AFA) following allegations of racist behavior by Argentine players.
The move is in response to a racist chant directed at French players of African heritage by Argentine team members after their recent Copa América victory over Colombia on July 14. The chant video, posted by Chelsea Player Enzo Fernández on his Instagram Live reportedly included the lyrics: “They play for France, but their parents are from Angola. Their mother is from Cameroon, while their father is from Nigeria. But their passport says French.”
In the FFF announcement statement released on July 16, the President, Philippe Diallo said, “Given the seriousness of these shocking remarks, which are contrary to the values of sport and human rights, the FFF president has decided to contact its Argentinian counterpart and FIFA directly to file a legal complaint for racist and discriminatory remarks,”
“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 as part of a song sung by players and supporters of the Argentina team.”
It’s worth noting that France does not participate in the Copa America tournament, making the timing and context of this chant particularly puzzling. The incident has sparked outrage in the international football community, with many condemning the racist undertones of the chant including Fernadez’s Chelsea teammates according to Journalist Fabrice Hawkins.
Still on Instagram, Fernández has come out to apologize. He wrote, “I want to apologise sincerely for a video posted on my Instagram channel during the national team celebrations,” he posted. “The song includes highly offensive language and there is 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 moment, those words, do not reflect my beliefs or my character. I am truly sorry.”
Argentine Midefielder, Enzo Fernández, shared the video of the chant on his Instagram | Source: GOAL
This situation highlights ongoing issues of racism in football and raises questions about the responsibility of national football associations in monitoring and addressing the behavior of their players, even during unofficial celebrations. As of now, the AFA has not issued an official response to these allegations or the impending lawsuit, and neither has FIFA, UEFA, or Chelsea Football Club.
This incident is likely to reignite discussions about racism in sports and the measures needed to combat such behavior both on and off the pitch. Recall that some Argentine fans also chanted a similar song aimed at French players of African descent after defeating France to win the 2022 World Cup.
