File image of Argentina’s Enzo Fernandez celebrating the Copa America win with household
| Picture Credit score: Reuters
The French soccer federation pledged to file a grievance with FIFA over “racist and discriminatory remarks” by Argentina gamers in post-match chants about France’s staff after their Copa America title win.
Argentina beat Colombia 1-0 on Sunday at Miami Gardens, Florida. A video posted on Instagram by Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez, who performs for Chelsea, and extensively considered on X confirmed Argentina gamers showing to sing about French gamers with African heritage.
Considered one of Fernandez’s Chelsea teammates, France defender Wesley Fofana, posted the Argentina staff video on his social media accounts Tuesday and known as it “uninhibited racism.”
Fofana, who has household ties to Ivory Coast, is amongst a number of French gamers who’re Black within the Chelsea first-team squad.
The identical chants — by some Argentina followers — emerged earlier than France and Argentina met within the World Cup ultimate two years in the past, which Argentina received.
ALSO READ: Editorial on the European Championship and the Copa America
“Given the seriousness of those surprising remarks, that are opposite to the values of sport and human rights, the FFF president has determined to contact its Argentinian counterpart and FIFA on to file a authorized grievance for racist and discriminatory remarks,” the French soccer federation stated in an announcement on Tuesday.
The derogatory chants single out France gamers of African heritage, from a number of international locations, and holding a French passport.
“The president of the French Soccer Federation, Philippe Diallo, condemns within the strongest phrases the unacceptable racist and discriminatory remarks made in opposition to the gamers of the France staff as a part of a tune sung by gamers and supporters of the Argentina staff,” the FFF added.
Diallo is a member of the chief committee of European soccer physique UEFA with a rising repute within the recreation’s politics.
FIFA couldn’t instantly affirm Tuesday if the French grievance had been filed.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has stated soccer and its 211 nationwide federations should have a zero tolerance strategy to racism and in Could dedicated to relaunching a job pressure to observe incidents.
