Paris, July 17, 2024, The Europe Today: The French Football Federation (FFF) announced on Tuesday that it has lodged a formal complaint with FIFA and is pursuing legal action after racist chants were directed at French players by members of the Argentine football team following their Copa America victory.
French Football Federation President Philippe Diallo condemned the “unacceptable racist and discriminatory remark
In a strong statement, FFF President Philippe Diallo condemned the “unacceptable racist and discriminatory remarks made against players of the France team.” The FFF is set to contact its Argentinian counterpart and FIFA to file a legal complaint for the racist and discriminatory comments.
French Sports Minister Amelie Oudea-Castera also expressed her disapproval, describing the remarks as “pathetic” and calling for FIFA to take appropriate action. “Behavior all the more unacceptable because it is repeated,” Oudea-Castera wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “FIFA: a reaction?” she added.
The Offensive Chant
The controversy stems from a video posted on Instagram by Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez. The video, filmed on the team bus after their Copa America win over Colombia in Miami, shows Argentine players singing a chant that dates back to the 2022 World Cup final, which Argentina won against France.
The chant targets France’s star striker Kylian Mbappe and includes homophobic slurs. It also derogatorily singles out French players of African descent, from multiple countries, and with French passports.
Historical Rivalry
The rivalry between Argentina and France has been heated since Argentina lost to eventual champion France in the round of 16 at the 2018 World Cup. This incident follows a previous complaint by the FFF two years ago regarding racist comments on social media. During World Cup celebrations in Buenos Aires, videos captured racist remarks directed at Mbappe.
The FFF’s decision to take legal action underscores its commitment to combating racism and discrimination in football. As this situation unfolds, the global football community will be closely watching FIFA’s response to ensure that such behavior is adequately addressed and that the integrity of the sport is upheld.
