FIFA punishes Mexico for fans' use of homophobic chants

Mexico

supporters were found guilty of using homophobic slurs during the qualifying tournament for the Tokyo Olympics. Mexico hosted the tournament and managed to win all of their five qualifying matches. However, Mexican fans’ controversial chants during their matches against the United States and the Dominican Republic saw the national team being punished by FIFA. Mexico will play their next World Cup qualifiers against

Jamaica

and

Canada

behind closed doors. The Mexican FA must also pay a $65,000 fine.

"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.

FIFA has insisted that more severe punishments will be assigned for future breaches as they are determined to stamp out the behavior.

"Additionally, the committee has opened a second disciplinary dossier in relation to the anti-gay chants heard from Mexican fans in a friendly played against Iceland in Arlington, Texas on May 29,"

the statement continued.

Mexico manager Gerardo "Tata" Martino expressed his concern over the situation in a press conference on Friday.

"I want to call on our fans to reflect on what these attitudes create for us. It pulls our team away from its fans. It means we play in empty stadiums and even that we could miss out on an international competition,"

Martino said.

"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. Any national team that wants to accomplish important things depends on its players and its fans."

There have been no investigations into Mexican fans’ behavior in the team’s recent games against Costa Rica and the United States in the CONCACAF Nations League. In both games, referees were forced to pause the action to ask the fans to stop chanting homophobic slurs.

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