According to the Post, Argentine midfielder
Enzo
Could face up to a 12-match ban for his involvement in singing racist chants. After Argentina's Copa America win, Enzo sparked a public outcry when he live-streamed the team singing racist songs on social media platforms. Although the player has publicly apologized, he is undergoing a
Chelsea
The club's internal investigation.
If the club decide to penalize Enzo, it is likely that he will only be fined for gross misconduct, the amount of which is typically two weeks' wages. However, sports lawyer at Bray & Krais and former Fulham midfielder Udo Ongwer said that Enzo has the opportunity to legally explain his actions and that his public apology has already put him in a better position to avoid an additional penalty.
The Mail understands that the FA has yet to take action against Enzo's behavior, but has not ruled it out completely. Should the FA decide to intervene in the matter, the player could be charged under the FA's discrimination regulations. The EFL's statutes state that discriminatory behavior by an individual participant will result in the regulatory committee recommending a penalty of between six and 12 games.
Ongwell said, "I think the FA will probably look at how Chelsea are handling this and decide what stance they will take. If Enzo is an England player, they may step in soon."
He added: "If Enzo had made a social media post, the FA, for its part, would certainly have intervened and the player would have been banned for at least six or seven matches, and then it would have been a matter of considering all the factors that go into adding a penalty, such as whether or not there has been discrimination in terms of language, whether or not there is repeated use of discriminatory language, whether or not the infraction is publicized or whether or not the participant's behavior is high-profile."
FIFA is currently dealing with a complaint filed by the French Football Association, but any FIFA sanctions will be borne by the Argentine Football Association, not Enzo personally. After finishing the Copa America, Enzo is not expected to return to training at Cobham immediately and will not be part of Chelsea's pre-season tour of the United States.
