- The Chelsea defender has pledged his support for his teammate Enzo Fernandez
- Fernandez has expressed remorse to Fofana and his teammates regarding the racist video
- Fofana believes Fernandez required education on the sensitivity of the filmed chant
Wesley Fofana emphasizes that Enzo Fernandez is not racist, stating that his Chelsea teammate simply needed to understand why the Argentinian chant directed at the French was so painful.
Fofana voluntarily chose to address the media, seeking permission from the club to speak with reporters during their U.S. tour.
After a training session in Atlanta, he shared his perspective on forgiving Fernandez, two weeks after labeling the footage of Argentina’s Copa America celebrations on their team bus as ‘uninhibited racism’ via social media.
Fernandez returned to the Chelsea squad on Monday, where the £106.8 million midfielder promptly apologized in a team meeting and committed to making a significant donation to an anti-discrimination charity.
However, Fofana believes that education holds greater value than financial contributions, as he wishes to prevent any recurrence of this troubling situation that impacted Chelsea.
Chelsea defender Wesley Fofana (left) has stated that his teammate Enzo Fernandez ‘is not racist’
Fernandez is undergoing pre-season training with Chelsea following backlash from a video of Argentina players singing a discriminatory chant
‘I’m glad to see Enzo back,’ Fofana remarked, one of six French players in Chelsea’s touring squad. ‘We had a conversation. I expressed my feelings about the video, and he expressed his. He apologized because he didn’t intend to upset French fans or anyone else. He didn’t understand the implications of the chant.’
‘I believe in him. I know him personally. Enzo is not a racist person. The issue lies in the video itself. It involves not just Enzo; it’s the Argentinian team as a whole. If he were from another country, I’d have reacted similarly. It became a headline due to our shared team.’
‘Now that it’s addressed, I am content as he understands my perspective and I understand his. He apologized, and I trust him—this is what matters. Enzo is a significant player for Argentina. I hope this experience has educated him about our differing cultures.’
Fofana has since removed his social media post explaining, ‘We represent the same club and badge, and we train together. Now that we understand one another, everyone is at peace.’
When asked if his sentiment was shared among the entire touring squad, Fofana clarified: ‘We spoke as a team; it wasn’t solely about me and Enzo. Everyone participated in the discussion. We are a team, we move forward together. The matter is resolved. We play as a unit, and together we are strong.
Enzo Fernandez had previously recorded a video of the Argentina team singing a racist chant about France
Fofana deleted his tweet where he originally shared the video on X with the comment: ‘Football in 2024: uninhibited racism’
Fofana (middle) and Fernandez (right) have reconciled after the Argentine acknowledged his mistakes
‘If there’s tension between Enzo and me, our performance on the pitch could suffer. This is applicable to all team members. That’s why we needed to have this conversation. This club is great.’
Fofana stated he isn’t pleased to know that Fernandez is facing financial repercussions, with Chelsea also intending to match his charitable contribution. Instead, he believes it’s crucial for the community to absorb a lesson about valuing diverse cultures.
‘The money doesn’t matter to me,’ Fofana remarked. ‘He’s losing money, and I wouldn’t want Enzo to experience that. While the donation is helpful, the priority is ensuring such actions aren’t repeated and that we foster education. He represents a significant influence as a star player and recognizes this. I’m glad for that.’
‘I don’t see a severe penalty for Enzo as a solution. We need to approach this through education, recognizing that cultures vary across nations, and our upbringings differ, for better or worse. It’s imperative to educate everyone if we aim to prevent future incidents.’
