Chelsea has initiated disciplinary action against midfielder Enzo Fernandez following a video he posted on social media, which the French Football Federation (FFF) claims contains an alleged "racist and discriminatory" chant. On Tuesday, the FFF announced it would file a complaint with FIFA over the video, which featured a song sung by some of the Argentina squad about French players.
Fernandez's Chelsea teammate, Wesley Fofana, who has one cap for France, shared the video on Instagram, calling it "uninhibited racism." In response, Fernandez expressed his regret, saying he is "truly sorry" for the video, which was posted as Argentina celebrated their Copa America victory.
"The song includes highly offensive language, and there is absolutely no excuse for these words," Fernandez said. "I stand against discrimination in all forms and apologize 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."
Chelsea released a statement acknowledging Fernandez's apology and stated they would use the incident as an educational opportunity. "The club has instigated an internal disciplinary procedure," the statement read.
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The FFF will contact the Argentine Football Association (AFA) regarding the live video posted by Fernandez after Argentina's 1-0 win over Colombia in the Copa America final on Sunday. FFF President Philippe Diallo condemned the remarks, stating they were "unacceptable and discriminatory" and contrary to the values of sport and human rights. He announced plans to appeal directly to his Argentine counterpart and FIFA and to file a legal complaint.
The Argentine FA has been approached for comment. The history between the two teams includes France's victory over Argentina in the last 16 of the 2018 World Cup and Argentina's win in the 2022 World Cup final.
A FIFA spokesperson confirmed they are "aware of a video circulating on social media" and that "the incident is being looked into." FIFA strongly condemns any form of discrimination by anyone, including players, fans, and officials.
Chelsea emphasized their stance against discriminatory behavior, stating, "We find all forms of discriminatory behavior completely unacceptable. We are proud to be a diverse, inclusive club where people from all cultures, communities, and identities feel welcome."
The club's first-team squad includes seven French players who are black or mixed race: Wesley Fofana, Axel Disasi, Benoit Badiashile, Lesley Ugochukwu, Christopher Nkunku, Malo Gusto, and Malang Sarr.
