Argentina official Julio Garro was fired after asking Team Tango star Lionel Messi to apologize to the French squad. The Tango Team squad, nicknamed Argentina, is in the public spotlight after being accused of committing acts of racism against a number of French players.
At that time, Argentinian midfielder, Enzo Fernandez, showed the euphoria of the Tango Team winning the 2024 Copa America in a live Instagram broadcast. However, there were racist chants from the Argentine players referring to French players of African descent and other countries who had French passports.
During the live broadcast, Enzo Fernandez and the Argentine players were heard singing a racist chant that had been sung by supporters to mock the French national team. “They play for France, but their parents are from Angola. Their mother is from Cameroon and their father is from Nigeria. But their passports are French,” the song read in full.
Enzo Fernandez actually immediately turned off the broadcast, but the video of the Argentina squad singing racist songs quickly spread on social media. The French Football Federation (FFF) does not accept this. They immediately reported the actions of the Argentine squad to FIFA.
Enzo Fernandez has also apologized and Chelsea has started an investigation into the 23 year old midfielder. However, there has been no apology from the Argentine Football Federation (AFA). Furthermore, Argentina’s Sports Sub-Secretary, Julio Garro, asked Argentina’s captain, Lionel Messi, to make a public apology.
Messi himself was reportedly not on the bus when Enzo Fernandez et al made racist chants against the French squad. “The national team captain should also appear to apologize, as should the AFA President,” Garro said. “I think, that’s right, this leaves us as a country in a bad position with so much glory,” he said.
According to an ESPN report, Julio Garro has been removed from his position as Argentina’s Sports Sub-Secretary after urging Messi and AFA President, Claudio Tapia, to make a public apology. Garro made a statement after he was fired as Argentina’s Sports Sub-Secretary. “I’m very sorry if my comments offended anyone, that was never my intention,” Garro said.
