FIFA is looking into a video after Argentina is accused of racism by France

FIFA is looking into a video that has been making the rounds on social media with Argentina’s national team members singing in a way that the French Football Federation (FFF) described as “racist and discriminatory” about the players from France.

The FFF announced on Monday that it would lodge a complaint with the world soccer governing body on the video, which features Argentina players singing about the African heritage of France attacker Kylian Mbappe.

Argentina’s Enzo Fernandez shared the video on Instagram as the team celebrated winning the Copa America with a 1-0 victory over Colombia.

A FIFA representative said in a statement, “FIFA is aware of a video circulating on social media and the incident is being looked into.” “FIFA strongly condemns any form of discrimination by anyone including players, fans and officials.”

Later, Fernandez expressed regret on social media, claiming that he had become “engrossed in the revelry of our festivities.”

“The song included highly offensive language and there is absolutely no excuse for these words,” he stated.

Wesley Fofana, a teammate of Fernandez’s at Chelsea, had earlier called the video “uninhibited racism”.

But Victoria Villarruel, the vice president of Argentina, stood up for Fernandez and the group, declaring that she would not put up with any behavior from a “colonialist” nation.

Villarruel wrote on her X account, “No colonialist country is going to intimidate us for a song on the pitch or for telling the truths they don’t want to admit.”

“Argentina is a free and independent nation. We never had second-class citizens or colonies. Nobody has ever been forced to adopt our way of life.

However, we also won’t put up with them doing it to us. Enzo Thank you for everything, Lionel Messi! I’m behind you! Always hold your head high, Argentinians.”

Later on Wednesday, Julio Garro, the nation’s undersecretary for sports, was fired by the Office of Argentina President Javier Milei for proposing that Argentina captain Messi apologize for the jeers.

“The Office of the President informs that no government can tell what to comment, what to think or what to do to the Argentine National Team, World Champion and twice champion of America, or to any other citizen,” the White House stated in a post on X.

“For this reason, Julio Garro ceases to be Undersecretary of Sports of the nation.”

In a statement, Fernandez’s Chelsea team stated that any kind of discriminatory conduct was wholly unacceptable.

The English Premier League team declared, “We are proud to be a diverse, inclusive club where people from all cultures, communities, and identities feel welcome.”

Following France’s 2022 World Cup final loss to Argentina, Mbappe and other players on the African descent squad received racist taunts on social media. This led a top French cabinet minister to request that FIFA look into the matter.