World Cup nations Mexico, Brazil, Croatia and Russia are currently under investigation by FIFA. The international governing body of association football are reportedly looking into the fan behavior of these four national football teams regarding recent actions at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Fans of “El Tri,” the Mexican national football team currently competing in the international tournament are allegedly set to receive disciplinary actions, according to NBC the penalizing procedures have already begun for Mexico’s loyal fans. FIFA’s response comes in the wake of fans seemingly obvious, though still at this point “alleged” racist and homophobic remarks and gestures directed at the opponent of “El Tri” in Friday’s opening World Cup match against Cameroon.
In addition to other complaints regarding fan behavior, the major issue with Mexican fans is a chant that unfortunately has become some sort of a tradition. This chant is directed at goalkeepers before their goal kicks, despite the outrageous nature of the chant, the homophobic slur is apparently common in multiple Mexican sports stadiums. The chant revolves around the word “puto,” which is a derogatory terms referring to homosexuals. The chant which is continually yelled throughout the game, is directed at the opposing team’s goalkeeper is known to be a part of the live Mexican soccer experience.
According to Soccerly, this derogatory chant “happens in every single stadium in Mexico and almost no one can be excused from participating in this act,” so it should come as no surprise that despite the world stage of the World Cup 2014 games, “El Tri” fans behave in the exact same way as they do in their home stadiums; with men, women and children alike join in to yell “puto” in unison with thousands of other fans.
During Tuesday’s World Cup match between Mexico and Brazil in Fortaleza, Brazilian fans soon began to imitate the insulting, however apparently addicting Mexican “puto” chant. FIFA immediately began to take note of the slurs being tossed back and forth between fans. Currently the organization is considered that without any disciplinary action, the ritual will soon begin to spread to other fans causing more “puto” uproar in stadiums.
Following the match in Arena Castelao, both countries are set to be issued a warning regarding their fan’s behavior. BBC reports that is fans are caught participating in discriminatory chants in future games, FIFA could first punish fans by having the games played behind closed doors or even threaten these teams with point deduction, in an attempt to prevent acts like these from happening again during the World Cup. As for Croatia and Russia, their fans were seen carrying anti-Semitic and racist banners, which will most likely result in warning to their nations.
© 2024 Latin Times. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
