Alleged homophobic chants by soccer fans at the World Cup are being investigated and could cause sanctions against the Brazil and Mexico teams.
The Fare network, monitoring the games for discrimination, reported to FIFA that Brazil fans chanted "puto," a Spanish and Portuguese gay slur, at Mexico’s goalie Guillermo Ochoa.
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Mexico itself is already in trouble because fans used that same term aimed at Cameroon during opening games.
In addition to those problems, Russia and Croatia are facing sanctions over neo-Nazi banners fans waved during opening games.
In a statement, FIFA confirmed that Fare had notified FIFA about the issue with Brazil fans and said it had opened an investigation over "improper conduct." Warnings are the most likely course of action for Brazil and Mexico.
“It seems that some fans of some countries will take their hatred halfway around the world. These images need to be acted on urgently,” Piara Powar, executive director of Fare and a member of FIFA’s anti-racism task force,
told The Telegraph. “The levels of homophobic abuse at some matches is also totally unacceptable. There is some rapid education required before it begins to run out of control. FIFA has some strong regulations in place and we hope they use them. Zero tolerance is the approach set out. It is what is required here.”
Although the Telegraph agreed that Brazil and Mexico may receive a warning, the newspaper said actions against Russia and Croatia could be point deductions because the World Cup is the second tournament where fans from those countries have been accused of racist behavior. They were sanctioned by Uefa two years ago during the European Championship for "illicit banners and monkey chants," the Telegraph said.
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