FIFA has unleashed 51 fines against 16 countries for homophobic actions by fans at 2018 World Cup qualifying matches. Each violation includes a warning or a reprimand. Of course, the anti-gay violations persists.
The countries receiving the sanctions include (with number of violations):
Argentina (5)
Brazil (4)
Chile (9)
Columbia
Costa Rica
Ecuador
El Salvador (2)
Greece
Honduras (5)
Hungary
Mexico (11)
Panama (3)
Paraguay
Peru (4)
Serbia
Uruguay
Of particular note is the Mexico soccer team, which was cited 11 times for violations. Eleven times. Clearly fines and public-relations campaigns are not working as the anti-gay chants have even crept into other sports and leagues like the NFL.
This again demonstrates that, as we at Outsports have said over and over and over, these fines won’t do anything to stop anti-gay chants. If FIFA is serious about stopping these chants, the organization will force countries with poorly behaved fans to play matches in front of empty stadiums, even if that is at the World Cup.
The choice is that of FIFA.
