MOSCOW: World federation FIFA has opened a disciplinary procedure against Mexico after alleged homophobic chants by Mexican fans during their World Cup win over Germany on Sunday.

Mexico fans have long shouted an insult that gay rights groups argue is homophobic at keepers taking goal kicks.

A FIFA statement confirming the investigation said: “Further updates will be communicated in due course.”

The chant was widely heard at Mexico games in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, when FIFA took no action, but it has since launched a clampdown and other Latin American teams, including Argentina and Chile, have also been fined.

The Mexican football federation (FMF), which has repeatedly appealed to fans to stop the chant, was sanctioned 12 times for homophobic chanting during the World Cup qualifying campaign, receiving warnings for the first two offences and fines for 10 more.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport also cancelled two fines issued to Mexico in November, ruling the chant on those occasions had been “insulting” but not meant to offend. It allowed other fines imposed on the FMF to stand.
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FIFA began taking action over the “puto” chant after being condemned for failing to do so during the last World Cup in Brazil. During qualifying for Russia 2018, it punished homophobic abuse on 56 occasions.
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Mexico accounted for 12 of those transgressions, Chile 10, Argentina six, and Brazil and Honduras five each. Only Chile and Honduras ended up with stadium bans, sparking calls for FIFA to increase the severity of its punishments for homophobic chants

FIFA is employing three specialist observers at each World Cup match to report discriminatory behaviour by spectators.

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