Chelsea player issues public defence of Enzo Fernandez as dressing room divided
Chelsea have issued a statement following Enzo Fernandez's apology for singing a chant which has been criticised as both racist and transphobic after Argentina's Copa America win
Nicolas Jackson appeared to come to the defence of Chelsea team-mate Enzo Fernandez amid controversy over the Argentina midfielder's behaviour after winning the 2024 Copa America.
Fernandez and his Argentina colleagues were filmed singing a chant which has been criticised as racist and transphobic. The former Benfica star issued an apology after the footage came to light, while Chelsea have put out a statement condemning "all forms of discriminatory behaviour".
Wesley Fofana, another member of Chelsea's squad, has been vocal in his criticism of the chant. " Football in 2024: uninhibited racism," the France international defender wrote on social media while sharing a clip of the footage.
Senegal striker Jackson has not put out a written statement of his own. However, on his Instagram story, he shared a clip of Fernandez playing with a young black Chelsea fan while also posting a photograph of himself alongside the Argentina midfielder and their colleague Marc Cucurella.
.The chant being sung by the Argentina players in the video in question begins: "On passport, French nationality, listen, spread the word, they play in France, but they are all…". At this point, a voice is heard calling for someone to cut the video.
The full chant continues: "Listen, spread the word, they play in France, but they are all from Angola, they are going to run well, they like to sleep with trans people, their mum is Nigerian, their dad is Cameroonian, but on the passport it says: French." It is unclear whether those in the video continued singing more of the chant.
Fofana, as well as team-mates and compatriots Malo Gusto and Axel Disasi, appear to have unfollowed Fernandez on Instagram. Neither Gusto nor Disasi has made a public social media comment on the matter at the time of writing.
"I want to apologise sincerely for a video posted on myInstagramchannel during the national team celebrations," Fernandez wrote in a statement shared late on Tuesday night. "The song includes highly offensive language and there is absolutely no excuse for these words.
"I stand against discrimination in all forms and apologise for getting caught up in the euphoria of our Copa America celebrations. That video, that moment, those words, do not reflect my beliefs or my character. I am truly sorry."
"Chelsea Football Club finds all forms of discriminatory behaviour completely unacceptable," the Blues wrote in a statement on Wednesday morning. "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 French Football Federation has issued a statement of its own in the light of the controversy. “The president of the French Football Federation, Philippe Diallo, condemns in the strongest terms the unacceptable racist and discriminatory remarks which were made against the players of the French team in the context of a song sung by players and supporters of the Argentina team after its victory in the Copa America and broadcast in a video on social media," it began.
“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 challenge his Argentine counterpart and FIFA and to file a legal complaint for insulting remarks of a racial and discriminatory nature.”
Anti-racism group SOS Racisme has also issued a response, saying: "We condemn these intolerable comments in the strongest possible terms. Racism has absolutely no place in sport, or in any other sphere of society. We demand that strict measures be taken against this deplorable behaviour."
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