Matt Maher: The silence over Argentina racism speaks volumes
It feels fair to say this has not been football’s finest week.
On Monday, came the alleged racist abuse of Hwang Hee-chan during Wolves’ friendly with Como, followed by the Italian club’s barely believable “nothing to see here” response.
Then, on Tuesday, arrived that video from Argentina’s team bus streamed on social media by Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez, which featured several players from the newly-crowned Copa America champions singing a song which questioned the heritage of France’s black and mixed-race players.
“Uninhibited racism,” was the swift response of Fernandez’s club-mate Wesley Fofana. Chelsea have opened disciplinary procedures against the Argentine while the French Football Federation have filed a complaint with Fifa.
Fernandez, for his part, was quick to show contrition. “There is absolutely no excuse for these words,” he wrote, about a song which also contains homophobic slurs. “I stand against discrimination in all forms and apologise for getting caught up in the euphoria of our Copa America celebrations.”
