Source: Politics<\/p>\n
The head of FIFA\u2019s anti-discrimination partner \u2014 which has dispatched human monitors to every World Cup match so far \u2014 said Thursday that the group has submitted \u201ca number of reports regarding matches involving Mexico.\u201d<\/p>\n
Piara Powar, executive director of the Fare network, declined in an interview with POLITICO to say what incidents the reports allege.<\/p>\n
But the existence of the reports could spell trouble for the Mexican Football Federation, which has faced a number of sanctions over the past decade from FIFA related to discriminatory practices at its games.<\/p>\n
FIFA declined to comment on any specific report Friday, and an inquiry to the Mexican Football Federation\u2019s press inbox went unanswered.<\/p>\n
In a statement, the world soccer governing body said \u201cpotential incidents are handled by FIFA\u2019s judicial bodies in line with the relevant regulations and match reports, and taking into account the specific circumstances at stake.\u201d<\/p>\n
A potential subject included in the reports: Mexican fans repeating an anti-gay chant that has loomed over the national team since it emerged during the 2014 World Cup.<\/p>\n
Sometimes referred to as \u201cEl Grito,\u201d the chant involves the crowd winding with a prolonged \u201cehhhhh\u201d as the opposing goalkeeper sets up for a goal kick, followed by a thunderous \u201cputo\u201d as the ball launches upward.<\/p>\n
The latter word, which roughly translates to \u201cmale prostitute\u201d in Spanish, is listed as a homophobic slur within the global guide to discriminatory practices in soccer authored by the Fare network, an umbrella organization set up to counter discrimination in world soccer.<\/p>\n
The chant was audible during broadcasts of Mexico\u2019s last-16 match against England and appeared during the federation\u2019s final group stage tilt against Czechia<\/a>. The Mexican national team played all of its World Cup matches on home soil, in Mexico City and Guadalajara.<\/p>\n Whether these reports will result in a material penalty is unknown. Powar said that, in most cases, sanctions are announced following the end of the World Cup and are preceded by an investigation and hearings related to the report. Previous punishments have ranged from six-figure fines<\/a> to forcing the national team to play in front of an empty stadium<\/a>.<\/p>\n The Mexican federation has unsuccessfully tried to stymie the chant\u2019s popularity. During the 2018 World Cup, Mexican forward Javier Hernandez pleaded with Mexican fans to not invoke it<\/a> after FIFA announced it was investigating its use during an earlier match.<\/p>\n And ahead of the 2026 tournament, the federation launched a campaignexplicitly encouraging fans to support the team<\/a> by ditching the chant in favor of a stadium-wide wave \u2014 a now unanimous-practice that traces its origins to the 1986 World Cup in Mexico.<\/p>\n Powar said change is still possible.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not the case that, you know, this culture is fixed or that you can\u2019t change it into a more positive direction, particularly when you\u2019re getting fined the sort of sums the Mexican Federation have over the years,\u201d Powar said.<\/p>\n