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The Argentina government on Thursday sacked its Undersecretary for Sports, Julio Garro, after he demanded an apology from national football team captain Lionel Messi for the racism chants controversy during the Copa America victory celebrations, Sports Desk reported.

A video shared by Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez on his Instagram account came under widespread scrutiny after the 23-year-old and his Argentine teammates were heard singing racist and discriminatory chants, directed at players of African descent in the France team. A derogatory verse in the song was: “They play for France, but their parents are from Angola. Their mother is from Cameroon, while their father is from Nigeria. But their passport says French.”

While it was unclear whether Messi was part of the controversial footage, Garro who was appointed in his role as Sports Undersecretary in March this year, demanded an apology from the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner and AFA president Tapia.

“The national team captain must also come out to apologize for this case. The same AFA (Argentina Football Association) president. I think it is appropriate. It leaves us as a country in a bad position, with so much glory,” Garro had said in radio statements.

Messi, who was injured during the final, has yet to issue a response.

Shortly after Garro’s statements were aired, Argentina President Javier Millei’s Office stated on X that: “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.”

Garro soon apologized for his statement, saying that “offending anyone was never my intention, and that is why I have offered my resignation, although I will always be on the other side of discrimination in all its forms.”