The anti-discrimination organisation Kick It Out has called on Fifa to confirm what action, if any, has been taken after Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez was drawn into a racism row last summer.
Fernandez was filmed, alongside several Argentina teammates, singing a discriminatory chant following their 2024 Copa America victory. The song was aimed towards French players of African descent and prompted a formal complaint by the French Football Federation. The midfielder subsequently apologized and was subjected to internal discipline by Chelsea.
Now Kick It Out chief executive Samuel Okafor has written to FIFA president Gianni Infantino and CONMEBOL’s Alejandro Dominguez for transparency. “Despite inquiries, neither we nor many others have been updated on any investigation or outcome,” Okafor said.
The letter also drew attention to the recent case of Tottenham’s Rodrigo Bentancur, who was banned for seven games by the English FA this month after using derogatory language toward his teammate Son Heung-min. “Many of the fans are asking me why the Argentina squad have not been punished in the same way,” Okafor quoted.
Kick It Out added that FIFA’s credibility would be on the line by failing to take a consistent approach. “If federations say action is being taken, then there must be accountability,” the letter read.
