The Mexican Football Federation will try a new strategy to end with the anti-gay chant: 5-year stadium bans. The chant, which is very popular at the matches in the country, has become a problem for the organization, who has faced the disapproval of FIFA.
The international soccer organization has fined and banned fans from stadiums due to the chant. According to El Economista, Mexico has been fined 17 times in the last seven years, meaning they have lost $656,400 in sanctions. Last year, in June, they were fined $73,000 and they had to play two matches of the WCQ without fans.
The fight against the chant has been a lost cause for the federation, as it is considered as a part of the soccer culture in Mexico. However, they will try a new punishment after the “educational” campaigns haven’t had the desired effect.
New punishment to try to end the anti-gay chant
Federation President Yon de Luisa said that "these measures are based on four pillars and will be applied rigorously in all home games organized by the Mexican Football Federation," according to ESPN. The new measures will be tested in Mexico's next two World Cup qualifiers, at home against Costa Rica on January 30 and Panama on February 2.
These two matches were initially set to be played behind closed doors due to the sanctions. However, de Luisa announced on Monday that the Court of Arbitration for Sport will allow FMF to reopen the Estadio Azteca with a limited entrance of 2,000 people.
In a statement on the Mexican Football Federation website, it reads: "The Mexican Football Federation reiterates its position of zero tolerance for any offensive or discriminatory manifestation in the stadiums.” The FMF follow a three-step protocol that has previously been used to pause and halt matches when the anti-gay chant can be heard.
