FIFA punishes seven national football teams over homophobic chants
The Nike match ball infront of rainbow flags during the Premier League match between AFC Bournemouth and Newcastle United at Vitality Stadium on February 24, 2018. (Catherine Ivill/Getty)
International footballing body FIFA has punished seven national teams after fans were found to have used homophobic chants.
FIFA is the international governing body of football, and is responsible for major international tournaments across the world.
The body issued fines against several teams under its Anti-Discrimination Monitoring System this week, taking action against Chile, Paraguay, Peru, Mexico, El Salvador, Honduras and Croatia.
Chile faced action over homophobic chants at five separate matches, while Peru, Mexico and Honduras also had multiple incidents logged.
A statement says: “Chile was sanctioned with a ban on playing at the Estadio Nacional Julio Martínez Prádanos in Santiago for two official matches and fined CHF 30,000. The first suspension will be served at the next match of the 2018 FIFA World Cup™ qualifiers between Chile and Bolivia, whereas the implementation of the second is suspended subject to a probation period of two years in application of article 33 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code (FDC).
“The proceedings relate to homophobic chants by the team’s fans and follow previous sanctions for similar incidents during the preliminary competition of the 2018 FIFA World Cup™.
“Moreover, Mexico was fined a total of CHF 35,000 for two cases while Honduras was fined CHF 40,000, El Salvador CHF 35,000, Paraguay CHF 20,000 and Peru CHF 15,000 for individual cases related to various incidents involving discriminatory and unsporting conduct by fans, including homophobic chants in some instances.
“In addition, Croatia was sanctioned to play its next two matches of the 2018 FIFA World Cup™ qualifiers – against Turkey on 5 September and Iceland on 12 November 2016 – without spectators and fined a total of CHF 150,000 for two cases of discriminatory chants by fans, which occurred at the friendly matches of Croatia v. Israel on 23 March 2016 and Hungary v. Croatia on 26 March 2016.
“The Croatian FA had already been sanctioned for similar incidents by FIFA and UEFA.”
Out football star Robbie Rogers recently claimed: “FIFA is corrupt… it’s run by racist, sexist homophobic dudes, who are in charge and put their buddies in charge.”
LGBT rights groups previously flagged “deep concern” with FIFA’s decision to award the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar.
FIFA in 2013 announced its intention to put pressure on Qatar to relax its anti-gay legislation ahead of hosting the 2022 event.
The head of the women’s England football team Casey Stoney said she would not attend Qatar because gay people are not welcome there.
