Chelsea’s first black player Paul Canoville offers help to heal Enzo Fernandez racism rift
Chelsea’s first black player Paul Canoville has offered to help mend the fall-out caused by the video released by Enzo Fernandez that included racist and homophobic slurs.
Fernandez apologised publicly and privately to his Chelsea team-mates for the video that showed him and Argentina players singing a derogatory song about France.
The video prompted Wesley Fofana to post a message saying it was racist on social media and the Frenchman was among a host of Fernandez’s Chelsea team-mates to unfollow him on Instagram.
Chelsea have confirmed that the club has started an internal disciplinary procedure over the matter that is likely to see Fernandez fined.
Canoville, who was racially abused as a Chelsea player, has reached out to the club through his foundation to help with any ‘restorative work’ around Fernandez and the upset the video has caused.
In a statement released by his foundation, Canoville said: “There is no room for discrimination of any kind in our society, especially in the sport we all love.
“My personal experiences of racism and hatred are well known, but I have always said that the way forward is through education and understanding.
“Given my continued love and support for Chelsea Football Club and the involvement of one of our players in the incident, I have offered to help support any restorative process that might now take place.
“Through my Foundation, I aim to help people learn through the lens of my experiences before, during and after the abuse I received while playing football, including being able to offer forgiveness where deserved.”
Foundation chief executive Raphael Frascogna added: “The Paul Canoville Foundation was founded on Paul’s inspirational story of resilience and determination in spite of the horrific discrimination and hate he endured.
“We work with children, young people and the wider community to help them understand our core values of allyship, belonging and community, which counter hatred.
“We firmly believe that through education, we can take the lessons of Paul’s story to help achieve better outcomes around equality and diversity – to make the world a better place for everyone, irrespective of our differences. Our Foundation says no to hate”.
The foundation also condemned the video in its statement, saying: “The trustees and executive committee at the Paul Canoville Foundation express our deepest disapproval of the racism exhibited by members of the Argentina international football team, whose unacceptable and discriminatory chant was shared in a video across global media and on social media this week.
“We echo the sentiments expressed by our friends at Kick It Out and ShowRacismTheRedCard, standing firmly alongside –and giving our full support to – the players directly affected and others who may have seen it and feel marginalised as a result.”
Argentina star blasts players for unfollowing Fernandez
Fernandez’s Argentina team-mate Rodrigo De Paul has criticised the Chelsea players who have unfollowed the midfielder on social media.
He said: “I understand that people who have suffered from racism might not like it. But I think if any of Enzo’s team-mates feel offended, the way is to call him, not post it on social media.
“I think there’s malice in this; they’re trying to make it something it’s not. It’s very strange, like kicking someone when they’re down.
“Unfollowing him seems pointless to me. You can call him and say ‘this isn’t okay, why don’t you post a message apologising?’, and the issue ends there.”
Fernandez has received some support from Chelsea players, including Nicolas Jackson and new forward Marc Guiu.