Argentina’s undersecretary of sport has been sacked after calling for Lionel Messi to apologise for the racist and transphobic song about France’s players that the former captain Hugo Lloris has described as “an attack on French people”.
Chelsea said on Wednesday they had “instigated an internal disciplinary procedure” against Enzo Fernández after the midfielder posted a video on Instagram that showed him and some of his Argentina teammates involved in the chants as they celebrated their victory against Colombia in the Copa América final. He later apologised, saying the video did not “reflect my beliefs or my character”, and is expected to be fined by his club.
Fifa has confirmed it is investigating the incident, which Julio Garro had also urged Messi – who captained Argentina at the Copa América – and the Argentinian Football Association (AFA) president, Claudio Tapia, to apologise for.
But the office of Argentina’s president, Javier Milei, issued a strongly worded statement on X confirming that Garro had been dismissed. “The president’s office says that no government can tell the Argentina national team – world champion and two-time Copa América champion – what to comment, what to think or what to do, or to any other citizen,” it said. “For this reason, Julio Garro is no longer undersecretary of sports of the nation.”
La Oficina del Presidente informa que ningún gobierno puede decirle qué comentar, qué pensar o qué hacer a la Selección Argentina Campeona del Mundo y Bicampeona de América, ni a ningún otro ciudadano. Por esta razón, Julio Garro deja de ser Subsecretario de Deportes de la… pic.twitter.com/o4JRC7gGB1
— Oficina del Presidente (@OPRArgentina) July 17, 2024
The vice-president, Victoria Villarruel, also hit back at the country’s critics on social media. “No country with a colonial history is going to put us down for a song sung on a field nor for speaking a truth that nobody wants to admit,” she wrote. “Enough of pretending to be offended, hypocrites. Enzo I am with you, Messi thanks for everything! Argentines always keep your heads high! Long live Argentina!”
Villarruel said Argentina’s history had been forged by people of all races: “We never forced our way of life on anyone, nor will we tolerate that someone tries to do the same to us.”
Lloris, who captained France at the past two Word Cups – including their run to the final at Qatar 2022 when the chant was first sung by Argentina fans – said the players involved should have shown “more responsibility”.
“They deserve a lot of credit for what they have done on the field for the last four or five years,” Lloris said. “But when you win, you are an example for others, especially kids. It was a proper attack about the French people, especially for the French people who have African origin and family.”
Demba Ba, the former Chelsea and Senegal striker, wrote on X: “Argentina, land of asylum for former Nazis on the run. From 1945, [Juan] Perón hosted war criminals. And it surprises you …”
