After repeated warnings from FIFA to Mexico national team fans to cease making anti-gay chants during games, the global soccer governing body has dropped the hammer on them.
On Friday, FIFA announced that the Mexico national team has been fined roughly $65,000 and received a fan ban from their next two home games. The punishment comes on the heels of anti-gay chants being heard in Olympic qualifying games in March.
“The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has sanctioned the Mexican Federation with a fine of 60,000 Swiss francs and the condition that they play their next two official home games behind closed doors as a consequence of the anti-gay chants heard in the matches against the Dominican Republic and the United States, played in Guadalajara on March 18 and 24, respectively,” the FIFA statement said, via ESPN.
Per ESPN’s report, future incidents of El Tri fan misconduct could result in point deductions in competitive tournaments. They could even be banned outright from FIFA tournaments – including the World Cup.
FIFA statement makes it official:
Mexico will have to play two World Cup qualifiers in empty stadiums as punishment for homophobic chants pic.twitter.com/eYUlm5AWRD
— Henry Bushnell (@HenryBushnell) June 18, 2021
The FIFA statement also noted that they investigating allegations of anti-gay chants made at a recent friendly. But they did not address similar allegations made against El Tri in the CONCACAF Nations League in games against Costa Rica and the USMNT.
Mexico national team manager Gerardo “Tata” Martino called on El Tri fans to show better behavior at future games. He warned of the consequences of not doing so.
“We’re very worried. We’re worried about what’s coming, about the sanctions that could possibly be next, and because we don’t want to be pulled away from our fans,” Martino said. “Any national team that wants to accomplish important things depends on its players and its fans.”
Will Mexico crack down on fan behavior at future games? Or are harsher penalties inevitable?
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