Argentina’s minister has been sacked after demanding an apology from Messi at the race in France

Argentina’s Sports Minister, Julio Garro, has been sacked for suggesting that Lionel Messi should apologize for the race dispute that disrupted the country’s Copa America victory.

Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez shared a video shortly after Argentina beat Colombia in Miami on Sunday that contained language described by the French Football Federation as “racist and racist”.

The video showed the Argentinian players singing a song questioning the origins of the black and mixed-race French players.

FIFA is investigating while Chelsea have also launched an investigation into the behavior of Fernandez, who apologized yesterday saying he was “caught up in the excitement of our celebrations”.

It is not known whether Messi participated in this song, but as a captain, it has been suggested to the undersecretary for sports in Argentina, Julio Garro, that he and the president of the Argentine Football Association (AFA), Claudio Tapia, apologize.

Garro said: “The captain of the national team must also come forward and apologize for this crime. The same is true for the AFA president.

“I think it’s appropriate. It leaves us as a country in a bad state.”

Argentina’s president, Javier Millei, did not take kindly to Garro’s words and a statement to X confirmed his dismissal.

The text read as follows: “The Office of the President reports that no government can tell the Argentine National Team, world champions and double American champions, or any other citizen, what to comment, what to think or what to do.” For this reason, Julio Garro ceases to be the Deputy Secretary of Sports of the Nation.”

La Oficina del Presidente informa que ningún gobierno puede decirle qué commentar, qué pensar o qué hacer a la Selección Argentina Campeona del Mundo y Bicampeona de América, ningun otro ciudadano. As a result, Julio Garro took the Subsecretario de Deportes de la… pic.twitter.com/o4JRC7gGB1

— Oficina del Presidente (@OPRArgentina) July 17, 2024

Strangely, Garro then denied making his earlier comments, saying: “I absolutely deny that I asked Messi to apologize. It would be a lack of respect for those who respect us forever for their level of humanity and sportsmanship.”

He also apologized if he offended him but insisted that he was on the “right side of racism”.

And in X, he wrote: “I want to thank President Javier Milei for trusting me by allowing me to be part of his team, Guillermo Francos and Daniel Scioli for the work we have done together in these months and Mauricio Macri for always thinking of me.” .

Quiero agradecerle al Presidente @JMiley por la confianza al dejarme ser parte de su equipo de trabajo, a @GAFrancos Ok of @danielscioli por el laboro que llevamos adelante juntos estos meses ya @mauriciomacri por tenerme siempre en cuenta.
Lamento mucho simi comentario…

— Julio Garro (@JulioGarro) July 18, 2024

“I’m very sorry if my comments offended someone, that was not my intention, that’s why I put my resignation in their hands even though I will always be on the other side of discrimination in every way.

“We thank all the staff of the Undersecretariat, CeNARD and Enard for sharing dreams together. I send my best wishes to the Government in this transition and to all the Olympic and Paralympic athletes who will represent us as athletes before the world in Paris 2024.”

Messi, who is being treated for an ankle injury against Colombia, has not yet commented on the matter.