FIFA sanctions Mexico for homophobic chants

The Mexican Soccer Federation will have to pay 35,000 Swiss francs (US$35,275) as a sanction for the repeated used of homophobic chants in games between local teams as well as those in the international area.

The chant of "Eh ... Puto," using a pejorative term commonly employed against gay males has caused a controversy in and out of the Mexican territory.

After incidents of anti-gay chants at the last World Cup in Brazil, FIFA has cracked down on insults aimed by Latin American fans at players on rival teams.

In that context, Chile cannot use its national stadium when it hosts Bolivia on Sept. 6 and must pay a fine of 30,000 Swiss francs (US$30,250). A second stadium-ban sanction was deferred for a two-year probationary period.

In other sanctions for soccer federations, FIFA fined Honduras 40,000 Swiss francs (US$40,300), El Salvador 35,000 Swiss francs (US$35,275) each, Paraguay 20,000 Swiss francs (US$20,150), and Peru 15,000 Swiss francs (US$15,115).

In Europe, Croatia has been ordered to play two World Cup qualifying matches in empty stadiums for repeated cases of fans chanting fascist slogans.

FIFA fined the Croatian soccer federation 150,000 Swiss francs (US$151,000), and ordered the stadium bans to take effect when Croatia hosts Turkey on Sept. 5 and Finland on Oct. 9.

Croatia fans were guilty of discriminatory chants at friendlies against Israel and Hungary in March, FIFA said.

With information from AP.