Football ‘fag’ chants earn Latin American countries a penalty from FIFA - Australia Gay News Network

Football’s world governing body has fined five Latin American countries for anti-gay chants from their national teams’ fans. Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) fined Argentina, Chile, Mexico, Peru and Uruguay for “insulting and discriminatory chants” during qualifying matches for the 2018 World Cup.

The chant “Ehhhh, Puto!” – “puto” means male prostitute and is slang for “fag” – is aimed at the opposing team’s goalkeeper when he’s taking a goal kick.

It has been used in Mexico for years, but other Spanish-speaking nations have picked it up.

Chile's fine is the biggest at 70,000 Swiss francs ($70,000) over cases at four different matches. The governing body imposed fines of 20,000 Swiss francs ($20,000) on Argentina, Mexico, Peru and Uruguay.

Mexico plans to appeal the fine, the Mexican Football Federation, claiming the chant "is not discriminatory" and that “you have to understand some words culturally”.

Proceedings continue against Honduras for what FIFA described as "apparent homophobic chants by its supporters”.

The fines were imposed despite FIFA for several years insisting that financial sanctions alone were not enough for discriminatory cases.

Among other disciplinary cases published by FIFA on Wednesday, Kuwait was made to forfeit 0-3 a qualifier it could not play against Myanmar because the Gulf state is currently suspended from world soccer over government interference.

Kuwait was fined 10,000 Swiss francs ($10,000) over that game and the same amount over a drone appearing at a qualifier against South Korea.

Author Andrew Shaw