Kick It Out has demanded clarity from the Fifa president, Gianni Infantino, over what action his organisation is taking over alleged discriminatory chanting involving the Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernández and other Argentina players.
Fernández, who turns 24 on Friday, posted a video of himself and some of his Argentina teammates singing a derogatory song about French players of African origin in the wake of his side’s Copa América victory last July.
Fifa said in the same month that the incident was being “looked into” following a complaint from the French football federation, but neither it nor the South American confederation, Conmebol, has published any further information since.
Fernández apologised face-to-face to his Chelsea teammates when he linked up with them on the club’s pre-season tour in the United States last summer, and the club took no further action against him after he made a donation to an anti-discrimination charity.
Kick It Out’s chief executive, Samuel Okafor, has now asked to know what the sport’s authorities are doing about the matter. “Despite making inquiries to the FA and Fifa, we and many others have not been told if there has been any investigation or outcome into his or any other players’ conduct,” Okafor wrote in a letter to Infantino.
“Establishing the facts and reaching an outcome should not be an extraordinary or difficult task for organisations who want to take discrimination seriously,” Okafor added in the letter which was also sent to the Conembol president, Alejandro Domínguez.
“Several of the players were filmed singing a song on the team coach which was both racist and transphobic about France’s players. Midfielder Enzo Fernández was clearly seen singing, although we recognise he was not alone in those actions as many players can be heard during the video.”
Okafor said if there had been no investigation, “it points to a deeply concerning lack of transparency and accountability, especially given how widely this incident was seen.” Fifa declined to comment when approached by PA Media. Conmebol and Kick It Out have also been approached for comment.
