Argentina's midfielder Enzo Fernandez celebrates his team's victory during the Conmebol 2024 Copa America tournament semi-final football match between Argentina and Canada at MetLife Stadium, in East Rutherford, New Jersey Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez will still face disciplinary action from his English club Chelsea despite issuing an apology for taking part in a racist chant. Picture: Eduardo Munoz/AFP
Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez will face a disciplinary hearing from his club Chelsea, despite issuing an apology for taking part in a racist chant.
The 23-year-old Fernandez and his teammates were filmed singing the song on the team bus, as they celebrated their Copa America title triumph over Colombia on Monday.
English Premiership club Chelsea FC said in a statement: "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.”
Chelsea said the club "finds all forms of discriminatory behaviour completely unacceptable.
"We are proud to be a diverse, inclusive club where people from all cultures, communities and identities feel welcome."
— Enzo Fernández (@IEnzofernandez8) July 16, 2024
Fernandez issued an apology on social media on Wednesday.
"The song includes highly offensive language and there is absolutely no excuse for these words," he said.
"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.”
Meanwhile, French Football Federation president Philippe Diallo said his organisation "condemns in the strongest terms the unacceptable and discriminatory remarks that were made against the players of the French team.
"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 appeal to his Argentine counterpart and Fifa and to file a legal complaint for racially offensive and discriminatory remarks."
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
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