FIFA can today confirm sanctions imposed on several football associations for unsporting conduct of fans in relation to insulting and discriminatory chants during 2018 FIFA World Cup™ qualifying matches.

Following match reports and additional evidence generated by the Anti-Discrimination Monitoring System that has been implemented for the qualifiers, FIFA opened disciplinary proceedings against the associations of Argentina, Chile, Honduras, Mexico, Peru and Uruguay.

Argentina, Mexico, Peru and Uruguay have each been fined CHF 20,000 for individual cases while Chile has been fined a total of CHF 70,000 for four cases, which occurred at different matches but relate to similar instances of unsporting conduct by supporters. All of the proceedings relate to homophobic chants by the respective team’s fans, with the FIFA Disciplinary Committee finding the associations to have violated article 67 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code (FDC).

The Disciplinary Committee took the decisions after analysing all of the specific circumstances of each case, in particular, the position adopted by the association (if applicable) as well as the anti-discrimination match observer’s report and the relevant evidence available. The committee has absolute discretion regarding the evaluation of proof (cf. art. 97 par. 1 of the FDC). The concerned parties have been notified of the decisions. Meanwhile, proceedings against the Honduras Football Association for apparent homophobic chants by its supporters are ongoing.

The Anti-Discrimination Monitoring System is coordinated by FIFA and implemented in collaboration with the Fare network, an organisation with long experience in the fight against discrimination in football and the deployment of neutral match observers. The monitoring is being done across all confederations, with observers deployed at identified high-risk matches.

“FIFA has been fighting discrimination in football for many years and one part of that has been through sanctions,” says Claudio Sulser, chairman of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee. “With the new comprehensive monitoring system for the FIFA World Cup™ qualifiers, the Disciplinary Committee has additional support thanks to the detailed reports provided by anti-discrimination match observers. But disciplinary proceedings alone cannot change behaviour by certain groups of fans that unfortunately goes against the core values of our game. FIFA and the entire football community have to be proactive in educating and inspiring a message of equality and respect across all levels of the game.”

Federico Addiechi, FIFA's Head of Sustainability, says a number of measures have been put in place to tackle discrimination.

“Monitoring and sanctions are not the only elements of FIFA’s way forward. They are part of a strategy that includes the FIFA Good Practice Guide on Diversity and Anti-Discrimination, training, awareness raising and the support of member associations in developing robust educational and preventive measures,” explains Addiechi.

Further details on the cases are available in the disciplinary overview document for the 2018 FIFA World Cup™ preliminary competition, published on FIFA.com HERE.

FIFA’s Good Practice Guide on Diversity and Anti-Discrimination was sent to all 209 member associations last October. As agreed during the FIFA Congress 2013, the member associations have until 31 March 2016 to present their concrete action plans. More information on this topic can be found here.

The FIFA Good Practice Guide on Diversity and Anti-Discrimination can be downloaded here.

Published 14/01/2016