Argentina sack sports undersecretary for demanding Messi’s apology in racist chants row

Buenos Aires, July 18 – Argentina have sacked Undersecretary for Sports, Julio Garro on Thursday after he demanded an apology from national football team captain Lionel Messi for alleged racist chanting during his team’s Copa America victory celebrations.

After Argentina’s Copa America title win, a video of their celebrations in a team bus shared by Enzo Fernandez on Instagram went viral, with players heard making fun of the French players’ African origin.

However, Fernandez later apologised on social media, saying he had gotten “caught up in the euphoria of our celebrations.”

“The song included highly offensive language and there is absolutely no excuse for these words,” he added.

Moreover, the Sports undersecretary demanded an apology from Messi and Argentine Football Federation president Claudio Fabian Tapia after the video went viral.

“I think [Messi] should come out and offer the appropriate apologies, as should the Argentine Football Federation president (Claudio ‘Chiqui’ Tapia),” Garro told radio station Urbana Play on Wednesday. He added that video “leaves Argentina looking bad as a country.”

Argentina President Javier Milei’s Office on Thursday posted on X that Garro has been removed from his position.

“No government can tell what to comment, what to think or what to do to the Argentine National Team, World Champion and Two-time American Champion, or to any other citizen. For this reason, Julio Garro ceases to be Undersecretary of Sports of the Nation,” the account of Oficina del Presidente wrote on X.

However, FIFA is investigating the video that is doing rounds on social media after the French Football Federation (FFF) said it was “racist and discriminatory”.

“FIFA is aware of a video circulating on social media and the incident is being looked into,” a FIFA spokesperson said in a statement. “FIFA strongly condemns any form of discrimination by anyone including players, fans and officials.”