Chelsea has initiated disciplinary actions against their midfielder, Enzo Fernandez, following his social media post featuring a video that the French Football Federation (FFF) claims includes a "racist and discriminatory" chant.
The FFF announced on Tuesday their intention to lodge a complaint with FIFA concerning the video, which shows members of the Argentina squad singing a song targeting France's black players.
Wesley Fofana, Fernandez's Chelsea teammate who has represented France internationally, shared the video on Instagram, condemning it as "uninhibited racism."
Fernandez, who joined Chelsea for a record £107 million in February 2023, expressed his remorse, stating he is "truly sorry" for the post made during Argentina's Copa America celebrations. The video features Argentina squad members singing a fan chant that questions the heritage of France's black and mixed-race players.
Chelsea has seven black or mixed-race French players in their first-team squad: Fofana, Axel Disasi, Benoit Badiashile, Lesley Ugochukwu, Christopher Nkunku, Malo Gusto, and Malang Sarr.
"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, those moments, those words do not reflect my beliefs or my character."
Chelsea issued a statement acknowledging Fernandez's public apology and stating the club will use this incident as an educational opportunity. They confirmed the start of an internal disciplinary procedure.
The FFF plans to contact the Argentine Football Association (AFA) regarding Fernandez's live video post following Argentina's 1-0 victory over Colombia in the Copa America final on Sunday. FFF President Philippe Diallo condemned the remarks in the video, describing them as "unacceptable and discriminatory."
The FFF intends to appeal directly to its Argentine counterpart and FIFA, filing a legal complaint over the racially offensive and discriminatory remarks.
The Argentine FA has been approached for comment.
FIFA, aware of the circulating video, stated they are investigating the incident and reaffirmed their strong condemnation of any form of discrimination by players, fans, or officials.
Chelsea reiterated their zero-tolerance stance on discriminatory behavior, emphasizing their commitment to being a diverse and inclusive club where everyone feels welcome.
