The scenes at the Euros and Copa America prove that racism and hooliganism is alive and kicking

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·23 luglio 2024

The scenes at the Euros and Copa America prove that racism and hooliganism is alive and kicking

Although the French Football Federation have complained to FIFA about Argentina’s chant, this isn’t an issue aimed at one nation.

While Chelsea are investigating Enzo Fernandez’s conduct, this isn’t about one player’s guilt.

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For years I have written about football having a serious issue. Grown men and women thinking in the confines of their footballing bubble they can act how they want.

Instead of the Euros and Copa America being a celebration of the sport this summer it showed where the game is at in 2024.

Cups being thrown from the stands, pitch invasions, fans fighting each other, players jumping into the crowd to protect their families, people breaking into the stadium through air vents and the World Champions celebrating by racially targeting another country.

It should be stressed that Fernandez is not the only Argentinean singing in the video, mocking France for having talent either born elsewhere or having parents born somewhere else, or both.

The truth is it seems that the majority on the coach joined in with the racial song and few of the squad have condemned it.

In fact, their sporting minister has been sacked for suggesting the team apologise.

This is what their vice president said, “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,”

So, if you’re wondering why the likes of Messi have not shown more remorse the reality is they might believe they have nothing wrong.

Only Fernandez knows how sorry he is, but I sense his apology might have been something Chelsea’s PR team insisted on?

That might be the case after preseason with the majority of Argentina’s players based in Europe.

The reality is; if your happily filming yourself and friends being racists and posting it on social media for the world to see, then you’re not sorry at all?

The 23 old is only sorry because this might cost him some wages and game time. Yet he’s old enough and played outside of South America long enough to not use ignorance as an excuse.

Anyone who watches domestic football from this continent will know that it’s still common for monkey noises to me made.

As a nation, Argentina are motivated by defiantly battling the universe, even if that only exists in their own imagination. They will argue that that’s what’s led to their recent success on the pitch.

Off the field, some powerful political figures are willing to argue that no one is going to judge their culture and preach to them how to behave.

It wouldn’t shock me if legally they challenge their right to free speech on their private coach away from the ground.

I said for years if Governing bodies truly wanted to fight racism, they would choose to have zero tolerance.

That’s why taking the knees was booed by some. To me it was a tick boxing exercise, an empty gesture.

What would mean so much more is if the FA uses every power they had to make an example out of the midfielder.

Once a year, UEFA and FIFA will produce a stunning banner, a fancy logo, an inspirational montage to claim they fight against the issue. I would much rather they take action.

One of their rules is for all Associations to agree to not discriminate, so how can they accept a side ranked number 1 in the world doing the opposite.

Chelsea are no difference to any business; the priority will be to make money.

They are not going to pay an asset worth 100 million to sit at home.

Which is fine – just don’t send out your players wearing any bands or shirts saying you fight racism.

Dan

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