March 26, 2022
Despite Ban, Homophobic Chant Heard at Mexican Football Game
READ TIME: 2 MIN.
"Mexico fans once again screamed their favorite gay slur during Team Mexico's World Cup Qualifier Thursday against the U.S.," reports OutSports.
"Late in the match, fans started chanting the word 'puto' as the clock ticked down. 'Puto' is a gay slur�that's been banned by FIFA; yet, Mexico fans keep yelling it."
NPR reports that the stadium announcer tried to drown them out.
After the scoreless match, the United States men's national soccer team is moving slightly closer to World Cup qualification before the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, NPR reports.
"The latest round of 'puto' chants come just two months after the Mexican Football Federation�announced�fans who chant gay slurs will be banned from stadiums for five years. The FMF devised a Fan ID system to more easily identify individuals who run afoul of the ban," adds Outsports.
In an attempt to control the crowd shouting slurs, the number of fans allowed in the 87,000-seat capacity Azteca was about half; "Mexico had applied a fan ID system following the sanctions leveled over fans' repeated use of anti-gay slurs by FIFA, soccer's international governing body," writes NPR.
The homophobic term is usually shouting at opposing players, but "one report out of Mexico says�fans planned on social media to direct the offensive chant at their own players, due to anger over various FMF policies," writes Outsports.
"The angry fans want to teach a lesson to the FMF, and they think that going with the 'eeeh, puto!' is the perfect way to protest, because it will make a dent in the FMF pockets, and it could ruin their position as a host in the 2026 World Cup," reports the football website The 18.
The 18 adds that FMF's president, Yon de Luisa, is aware of the social media campaigns and promised a firm hand against those who dare to utter the chant.�
"I have already seen some tweets about it," he said to�W Deportes. "We have been threatened in the past, and it would not be the first nor the last time. If someone wants to yell�'puto,' that person will be taken out. Do you really want to do it? Then forget about attending to a stadium ever again."
