Will Chelsea now suspend player after he admitted ‘no excuse’ racist behaviour?


 
 
 
 
 
 

Interesting to see what Chelsea will now do.

Star midfielder Enzo Fernandez has admitted there was ‘absolutely no excuse’ for his racist behaviour.

Wesley Fofana declared it ‘uninhibited racism’ from his Chelsea teammate and other Argentina players.

Chelsea themselves have announced disciplinary proceedings against Enzo Fernandez.

With the player himself admitting his racist behaviour, which he could hardly deny as it was filmed and circulated on social media, surely Chelsea will have no option but to suspend Enzo Fernandez for a number of games at the start of the season, as a bare minimum. Otherwise, what kind of a message does it send out if they merely give him a token club fine?

BBC Sport report on Chelsea and Enzo Fernandez – 17 July 2024:

Chelsea have begun disciplinary proceedings against midfielder Enzo Fernandez after he posted a video on social media that the French Football Federation said included an alleged “racist and discriminatory” chant.

On Tuesday the FFF said it would file a complaint to world governing body Fifa over the video featuring a song sung by some of the Argentina squad about France’s players.

Fernandez’s Chelsea team-mate Wesley Fofana, who has one cap for France, posted an image of the video on Instagram, describing it as “uninhibited racism”.

Fernandez said he is “truly sorry” for the video he posted as Argentina celebrated winning the Copa America.

“The song includes highly offensive language and there is absolutely no excuse for these words,” he said.

“I stand against discrimination in all forms and apologise for getting caught up in the euphoria of our Copa America celebrations.

“That video, that moments, those words, do not reflect my beliefs or my character.”

A Chelsea statement read: “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 will contact the Argentine Football Association (AFA) about live video posted on social media by Fernandez after Argentina beat Colombia 1-0 in the Copa America final on Sunday.

A statement from the FFF, external said president Philippe Diallo “condemns in the strongest terms the unacceptable and discriminatory remarks that were made against the players of the French team”.

It added: “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 appeal to his Argentine counterpart and Fifa and to file a legal complaint for racially offensive and discriminatory remarks.”