On Wednesday, Fifa announced the initiation of an investigation into racist chants by Argentina players following their victory in the Copa America.
"Fifa has taken notice of a video that has been widely shared on social media, and the matter is currently under investigation," stated a spokesperson for the governing body of world football. They further emphasized, "Fifa vehemently opposes any form of discrimination, whether by players, fans, or officials."
The chants were audible in a live video posted on social media by Chelsea and Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez, from the team bus after their win against Colombia in Miami on Sunday. Some players, including the 23-year-old Fernandez, sang a chant that originated from the 2022 World Cup final where Argentina defeated France. The song includes racist insults directed at France's star striker Kylian Mbappe.
Chelsea had previously initiated an internal disciplinary procedure against Fernandez due to the incident. Fernandez has since issued an apology, and the club has stated that they consider all forms of discriminatory behavior as completely unacceptable. They plan to use this incident as a teaching moment.
Fernandez, who joined Chelsea from Benfica for a record fee in 2023, expressed in his apology, "The song contains highly offensive language, and there is no justification for such words. I am against discrimination in all its forms and apologize for being swept up in the excitement of our Copa America celebrations."
The French Football Federation (FFF) lodged a complaint with Fifa regarding the chants on Monday. FFF president Philippe Diallo strongly condemned the racist and discriminatory remarks made against the France team players.
