Ban the haters.
Football fans in Mexico could be given five-year bans from stadiums if they are found to have made anti-gay chants. This was announced by Mexican Football Federation (FMF) president Yon de Luisa who stressed the need to stamp out discriminatory behaviors in football matches at least in the country.
In the past, the FMF has struggled to deal with anti-gay chants often shouted by Mexico supporters when an opposing goalkeeper takes a goal kick.
In the past, FIFA – the international governing body of football – handed the FMF fines and stadium bans that forced matches behind closed doors due to the fan behavior. The new step from FMF will therefore be applied in all home games organized by the FMF.
The new measure will be tested in Mexico’s next two World Cup qualifiers – i.e. at home against Costa Rica on January 30, and Panama on February 2. These were initially slated to be played behind closed doors due to past instances of anti-gay chants. But the Court of Arbitration for Sport allowed FMF to reopen the Estadio Azteca to test the new measure.
