Chelsea Football Club has taken action against midfielder Enzo Fernandez following the posting of a controversial video on social media. The French Football Federation (FFF) condemned the video for allegedly containing a “racist and discriminatory” chant directed at France’s black players, prompting them to announce their intention to file a complaint with FIFA.
Enzo Fernandez’s teammate, Wesley Fofana, publicly criticized the video, referring to it as “uninhibited racism.” In response, Fernandez expressed remorse for his actions, emphasizing that the offensive language used in the video does not align with his personal beliefs or character. He stated, “I stand against discrimination in all forms and apologize for getting caught up in the euphoria of our Copa America celebrations.”
Acknowledging Fernandez’s public apology, Chelsea issued a statement indicating their appreciation of his remorse while confirming the initiation of an internal disciplinary procedure. This development emphasizes the club’s commitment to taking proactive measures and leveraging this incident as an educational opportunity.
On Wednesday morning Chelsea released a club statement: “Chelsea Football Club finds all forms of discriminatory behaviour completely unacceptable. We are proud to be a diverse, inclusive club where people from all cultures, communities and identities feel welcome.
“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 has announced its intention to contact the Argentine Football Association (AFA) regarding the live video posted by Fernandez after Argentina’s victory in the Copa America final. President Philippe Diallo of the FFF strongly denounced the discriminatory remarks made against the French team’s players and has decided to directly engage with his Argentine counterpart and FIFA, filing a legal complaint for racially offensive and discriminatory remarks.
In response to the situation, FIFA has confirmed that they are aware of the circulating video and are actively investigating the incident. Emphasizing their strong stance against all forms of discrimination, FIFA underlined the condemnation of such behavior from any individual, including players, fans, and officials.
A FIFA spokesperson said: “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.”
In light of this controversy, it’s important to note the impact on Chelsea, a club with several black and mixed-race French players in their first-team squad. Chelsea has underscored their absolute rejection of any form of discriminatory behavior and reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining a diverse and inclusive environment where individuals from all backgrounds feel valued and welcome.
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