Argentine President Javier Milei has fired the country's deputy sports minister Julio Garro, who earlier called on albiceleste captain, striker Lionel Messi to apologize for a racist shouting match against the French national team.
A statement from the Office of the President reads:
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.
On the night of July 14-15 in Miami (USA) the final match of Copa America-2024 was held, where the team of Lionel Scaloni outplayed the national team of Colombia with a score of 1-0 and won the trophy. Celebrating this event, midfielder Enzo Fernandez, who plays for English Chelsea, started a live broadcast on his page on social network, singing an offensive chant towards the players of the French national team together with his teammates. However, Lionel Messi was not with the team back then.
On July 16, the president of the French Football Federation (FFF) Philippe Diallo said that the organization intends to appeal to FIFA, as well as file a complaint in court for racially offensive and discriminatory language.
On July 18, Argentina's vice president Victoria Villarruel, commenting on the incident, said that no one has the right to intimidate or condemn what was said about the French national team.