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Chelsea Football Club released a statement Wednesday that condemned racist behavior from Enzo Fernández and his Argentina teammates following the national team’s victory over Colombia in Sunday’s Copa América final.
“Chelsea Football Club finds all forms of discriminatory behaviour completely unacceptable,” the statement read. “We are proud to be a diverse, inclusive club where people from all cultures, communities and identities feel welcome.
“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.”
In addition to playing for his country, Fernández also suits up for Chelsea in the Premier League.
As ESPN’s Adriana Garcia noted, this comes after Fernández posted a video on social media that showed him and his teammates “singing offensive chants that singled out France players of African heritage.”
Some Argentina fans also participated in the same chants ahead of the 2022 World Cup final between the two nations.
Fernández issued an apology that said, in part, “that video, that moment, those words, do not reflect my beliefs or my character. I am truly sorry.”
Ben Jacobs @JacobsBen
Enzo Fernandez has now issued an apology. https://t.co/XIC6qLjKF7 pic.twitter.com/ieHLokAgBy
His Chelsea teammate and member of the French national team, Wesley Fofana, posted that the video showed “uninhibited racism.”
Matias Grez of CNN reported that the French Football Federation (FFF) released a statement and said it will file a legal complaint over the situation.
“The President of the FFF, Phillipe Diallo, condemns in the strongest terms the unacceptable racist and discriminatory remarks which were made against players of the French team in the form of a chant sung by the players and supporters of the Argentinian team after their victory in the Copa America, which was shared in a video on social media,” the statement read.
“The president of the FFF decided to directly appeal to his Argentinian counterpart and FIFA and to file a legal complaint for racially offensive and discriminatory remarks.”
Grez also cited a FIFA spokesperson who said the organization is “aware of a video circulating on social media and the incident is being looked into.”
The incident was one of multiple that marred the Copa América tournament.
An altercation involving multiple Uruguayan players spread into the stands following Colombia’s semifinal win at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. Then, the final between Colombia and Argentina was delayed for more than an hour amid the chaos that unraveled when thousands of fans without tickets entered Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium.
Argentina eventually defeated Colombia 1-0 in extra time in a game that saw Lionel Messi exit with an ankle injury.
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