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Fans' Anti-Gay Chants Stain Mexico's World Cup Win
Bill McEwen updated website photo 2024
By Bill McEwen, News Director
Published 7 years ago on
June 18, 2018

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ST. PETERSBURG, Russia — International soccer’s ruling body has opened disciplinary proceedings against Mexico after its fans used an anti-gay slur during the team’s historic 1-0 win over Germany.
Some Mexican supporters chanted the slur when Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer prepared to take a goal kick in the 24th minute of Sunday’s game at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow.

Fans Try To Intimidate Goalkeepers

Fans in Mexico use the chant to insult opposing goalkeepers as they take a goal kick. Widely considered a slur, some argue there is no discriminatory intent.
FIFA did not elaborate on the nature of the disciplinary proceedings and didn’t say when a hearing would take place.
“Further updates will be communicated in due course. As proceedings are ongoing please understand we cannot comment further at this stage,” FIFA said in a statement.

Mexico Repeatedly Fined by FIFA For Chants

The Mexican soccer federation has been repeatedly fined by FIFA over fans chanting the slur in recent years, but the sanctions haven’t escalated. The federation and players have previously urged fans to stop the chant to avoid further punishment.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport canceled two fines against Mexico in November, ruling the chant was “insulting” but not meant to offend, though it left other fines in force.
FIFA is using a new anti-discrimination procedure for the World Cup, under which referees are instructed to stop the game for an announcement on the public address system when discriminatory behavior is seen or heard. If it continues, the official could suspend the game, and then abandon it if the behavior persists.
“A public announcement was prepared, but the chants ceased,” FIFA said. “After the match and as an important step for further action, the incident was duly included in the match report, as well as the evidence produced by the anti-discrimination observers.”

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Bill McEwen,
News Director
Bill McEwen is news director and columnist for GV Wire. He joined GV Wire in August 2017 after 37 years at The Fresno Bee. With The Bee, he served as Opinion Editor, City Hall reporter, Metro columnist, sports columnist and sports editor through the years. His work has been frequently honored by the California Newspapers Publishers Association, including authoring first-place editorials in 2015 and 2016. Bill and his wife, Karen, are proud parents of two adult sons, and they have two grandsons. You can contact Bill at 559-492-4031 or at Send an Email

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