Messi-led Argentina national team to play in Kerala next year
World Cup-winning Argentinian football team led by iconic Lionel Messi will play in Kochi next year, Kerala State Sports Minister V Abdurahiman announced on Wednesday.
Argentina’s successive Copa America title has been marred by the controvercy after a video that has gone viral in which racist chants were sung by the squad about the France national team.
A lot of criticism has surrounded Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez who was live on Instagram during the chant and joined in. The Premier League club has now released a statement confirming an ‘internal disciplinary procedure’ against the player.
“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,” it said in a statement.
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The highly insulting chant had previously surfaced after their win over France in the World Cup. The chant insinuates that most of the players on the French team are of African descent and should not be playing for Les Blues.
‘They play for France, but they are from Angola. His mother is Nigerian, and father is Cameroonian. But on the passport: French.’
Enzo’s Chelsea teammate and French national player Wesley Fofana put a story on Instagram on the matter, perfectly summing up the unfortunate incident, saying, “Football in 2024: uninhibited racism.”
Following the uproar Fernandez did issued a statement in the matter and apologised for ‘getting caught up in the euphoria of our Copa America celebrations.’
Although the Argentina Football Association is yet to make a statement on the matter, the French Football Federation released a statement confirming their intentions to ‘file a lawsuit for abusive remarks of racial and derogatory nature’.
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