Chelsea have initiated disciplinary action against midfielder Enzo Fernandez following his posting of a video on social media, which the French Football Federation (FFF) claimed contained an alleged “racist and discriminatory” chant.
On Tuesday, the FFF announced its intention to file a complaint with FIFA, the global governing body of football, regarding the video that featured a song sung by some members of the Argentina squad about French players.
Chelsea’s Wesley Fofana, who has one cap for France, shared an image of the video on Instagram, labeling it as “uninhibited racism.”
In response, Fernandez expressed his regret, stating he is “truly sorry” for the video he shared while celebrating Argentina’s Copa America victory.
“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.”
A Chelsea statement read: “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.”
The FFF will contact the Argentine Football Association (AFA) about live video posted on social media by Fernandez after Argentina beat Colombia 1-0 in the Copa America final on Sunday.
A statement from the FFF, said president Philippe Diallo “condemns in the strongest terms the unacceptable and discriminatory remarks that were made against the players of the French team”.
It added: “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.”
The Argentine FA has been contacted for a statement regarding the incident.
The context of the rivalry includes France’s victory over Argentina in the last 16 of the 2018 World Cup, followed by Argentina’s triumph over France in the final of the 2022 World Cup.
A FIFA spokesperson stated they are “aware of a video circulating on social media” and are investigating the matter.
They emphasized, “FIFA strongly condemns any form of discrimination by anyone, including players, fans, and officials.”
Chelsea, whose first-team squad includes seven black or mixed-race French players—Wesley Fofana, Axel Disasi, Benoit Badiashile, Lesley Ugochukwu, Christopher Nkunku, Malo Gusto, and Malang Sarr—asserted that they find “all forms of discriminatory behavior completely unacceptable.”
They added: “We are proud to be a diverse, inclusive club where people from all cultures, communities and identities feel welcome.”