Discriminatory Remarks by Argentine Players: Disciplinary and Legal Consequences

Following Argentina’s victory against Colombia in the 2024 Copa America final, a video showing players from the Argentina team singing an openly racist chant against the French team has caused a wave of anger and indignation. Far from being an isolated incident, this slip-up has already been observed during the 2022 World Cup. Faced with this new offense, the French Football Federation (FFF) announced that it had “seized FIFA” and filed a complaint for offensive remarks of a racial and discriminatory nature. This article aims to legally analyze the facts alleged against the Argentine players as well as the possible outcomes of the legal remedies taken by the FFF.

The chant sung by the Argentine players, although in their eyes a simple “chambering” between opponents, goes well beyond the framework of admissible freedom of expression in the sporting context. The lyrics of the song are relayed massively on social networks, harming the honor and reputation of French players by associating them in a pejorative manner with their supposed origin (“They play for France, but they all come from Angola”). Their racist and discriminatory nature, explicitly targeting the origins of the players of the France team, including Kylian Mbappé, is thus characterized within the meaning of the FIFA Regulations.

I - Disciplinary Jurisdiction of FIFA or CONMEBOL?

This case, however, presents...

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