Demba Ba wades into Argentina racism row with ‘asylum for former Nazi’s’ comment

Former Chelsea striker Demba Ba has waded into the Argentina racism row involving current club player Enzo Fernandez by describing the South American country an “asylum for former Nazis on the run”.

The comments come after President Javier Milei removed his sports minister for making comments demanding national team captain Lionel Messi apologise for the incident, which saw several players singing a racially offensive song about the France team.

Fernandez has issued an apology both publicly and to his Chelsea team-mates over a video he posted on social media as Argentina celebrated their Copa America success last weekend.

Chelsea and Fifa are investigating the incident, with Fernandez’s French team-mate Wesley Fofana describing it as “uninhibited racism”.

Now Ba, who played for the west London club in the 2013-14 season, has joined in the criticism, posting on X: “Argentina, land of asylum for former Nazis on the run. From 1945, Peron hosted war criminals. And it surprises you…”

Ba’s comments came after Argentina’s sports minister Julio Garro left his post after he called on Messi, in his capacity as national team captain, to apologise over the incident.

President Milei: “The President’s Office reports that no government can tell the Argentina national team, the world champions and two-time Copa America champions, or any other citizen, what to comment, what to think or what to do. For this reason, Julio Garro ceases to be under-secretary of sports.”

Garro said he had not meant to offend anyone, but added that he “will always be on the other side of discrimination in all its forms”.

Lloris says video is ‘attack on French people’

Former Tottenham and France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris described what had happened as “an attack on French people”.

“It doesn’t matter if you are in a moment of euphoria because you have won an important trophy,” he said in quotes reported on the BBC Sport website.

“It demands even more responsibility when you are a winner.

“You don’t want to hear or see this kind of thing in football. We all stand against discrimination and racism.

“I just think and hope it is a mistake. We all make mistakes sometimes and hopefully they will learn from it.

“It was a proper attack about the French people, especially for the French people who have some African origin and family.”

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