Buenos Aires: Buenos Aires has expressed regret to France following the vice president of Argentina’s comments, in which she referred to the European country as “colonialist” and its people as “hypocrites” during a dispute over alleged racist chants by Argentine footballers.
President Javier Milei’s office stated on Friday that a high-ranking official was sent to the French embassy to clarify that Victoria Villarruel’s statement on social media was made in her personal capacity.
FIFA has initiated an investigation into the chants sung by Argentina players, including Enzo Fernandez, 23, after their Copa America victory. The chants, which were heard in a live video posted on social media by Fernandez, targeted France’s star striker Kylian Mbappe and included racist and homophobic insults. Fernandez has issued an apology, but Chelsea has launched an internal disciplinary procedure against him.
The French Football Federation (FFF) has filed a complaint with FIFA. Villarruel expressed her support for Fernandez on X, stating: “No colonialist country is going to intimidate us because of a stadium chant nor for speaking truths that they do not want to admit. Enough with feigned outrage, hypocrites.”
This diplomatic incident occurred just days before Milei is scheduled to travel to Paris to attend the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games. “Diplomatic relations with France are intact,” presidential spokesman Manuel Adorni stated on Friday.
Argentina’s under secretary for sports, Julio Garro, was dismissed from his post this week after suggesting that captain Lionel Messi and the Argentine Football Association should apologize for the chants.
