FIFA Sanctions Chile, Brazil, Italy, Canada, Others Over Fans’ Misconduct

TAIWO ADELU

Chile have been ordered to play a World Cup qualifier against Venezuela in March behind closed doors after FIFA sanctioned 11 Football Associations for “discriminatory and unsporting conduct of fans”.

The South American nation were already banned from playing at the Estadio Nacional Julio Martinez Pradanos in Santiago for two matches, due to supporters singing homophobic chants in a match against Bolivia.

The second game was suspended for a year but has now been triggered due to the latest offence, with the Chilean Football Association also fined CHF65,000 (£52,000/$66,000/€59,000) for the two cases.

The respective Football Associations in Honduras, El Salvador, Mexico, Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Peru, Italy and Albania have also been punished.

All of the charges relate to matches in the qualifying campaign for the 2018 World Cup, due to be held in Russia.

It comes as a result of evidence gathered by the Anti-Discrimination Monitoring System.

The majority of the countries involved have been fined for their infringements, with Honduras also ordered to pay CHF65,000.

Albania has been fined CHF50,000 (£40,000/$51,000/€46,000) for offences including booing the opposing national anthem and displaying political banners during a qualifier against Macedonia last month, while El Salvador has been fined CHF45,000 (£36,000/$46,000/€41,000) for homophobic songs from their fans.

Italy, Mexico and Peru have all been told to pay CHF30,000 (£24,000/$31,000/€27,000), while Paraguay and Argentina were fined CHF25,000 (£16,000/$20,000/€18,000).

FIFA has imposed fines of CHF20,000 (£16,000/$20,000/€18,000) on Canada and Brazil, host nation of the previous World Cup, staged in 2014.

“All of the proceedings relate to incidents involving discriminatory and unsporting conduct by fans, including homophobic chants in some instances,” FIFA said in a statement.

“The Disciplinary Committee took the decisions after analysing all of the specific circumstances of each case, in particular, the match officials’ reports, the position adopted by the association, if applicable, as well as the anti-discrimination match observer’s report and the relevant evidence available.

“Mitigating circumstances were also taken into account in some cases, including the member associations’ efforts to raise awareness among spectators and fight discrimination.”

The development comes after FIFA controversially axed its anti-racism taskforce after declaring their work had been “completed”.