July 23, 2024, 10:30 PM
July 23, 2024, 10:30 PM
Argentine Vice President Victoria Villarruel clarified that He wanted to “defend the Argentine (football) team and the Argentines,” after calling France “colonialist” and the French “hypocrites” in the face of racism, following the national team’s chant considered racist and homophobic by the French Football Federation.
“I always wanted to defend the Argentine national team and the Argentines “So I really ignore all the other interpretations and I’m not offended,” Villarruel told reporters in the Argentine province of Catamarca (northwest).
Villarruel posted on social network X last Wednesday a support for the national team player Argentina’s Enzo Fernández has been questioned in France because, during the celebrations for winning the Copa América on July 14, he sang a controversial song against the French, which he accused of being racist and homophobic, according to a video circulating on social media.
“No colonialist country is going to intimidate us with a song from the field” (stadium) nor for telling the truths that they do not want to admit. Enough of pretending indignation, hypocrites. Enzo, I support you,” Villarruel had written.
Karina Milei, Secretary of the Presidency and sister of President Javier Milei, He went to the French embassy the next day “To explain that the unfortunate comment made on social media was personal and that it is not the government’s position to mix sports passions with diplomatic issues,” presidential spokesman Manuel Adorni said at a press conference.
The controversy left one official on the way: Julio Garro, former Argentine undersecretary of sport who was fired from his post after he said that Lionel Messi and the Argentine Football Association should apologize.
The song of discord contains phrases likeor “they play in France, but they are all from Angola” and it was made viral by Argentine fans before the final of the Qatar-2022 World Cup that Argentina won against France.
The episode merited the opening of a FIFA investigation and a disciplinary procedure for Fernández by the English club Chelsea, where the footballer plays, who apologized on his Instagram account.