The highly anticipated Concacaf Nations League final match between the U.S. men’s national team and Mexico took an unexpected turn when the game was halted due to discriminatory chanting by Mexico fans.
Throughout the game, fans could be heard using an anti-LGBTQ+ chant, which only grew louder with each repetition. After multiple announcements by the referee, play was finally stopped, activating Concacaf’s three-step process to address such behavior.
After a nearly four-and-a-half minute stoppage, the match resumed, but the chant continued and even intensified. Concacaf swiftly condemned the discriminatory chanting and ejected fans, while also activating FIFA’s protocol for handling such incidents.
This is not the first time that Mexican fans have been caught using this offensive chant in the Concacaf Nations League. Referees have had to follow protocol several times in the past to deal with crowd trouble caused by this chant, and Mexico has faced penalties by FIFA for their fans’ behavior.
Concacaf’s anti-discrimination policy includes temporary stoppages, stadium announcements, and even potential match suspension in cases like these. Fans who engage in discriminatory behavior run the risk of being removed from the stadium.
While Concacaf has yet to announce any specific sanctions for the fan incidents during the final, it remains unclear what punishments may be issued. The organization is expected to take strong action to ensure that such behavior is not tolerated in the future.
In the meantime, fans and players alike are left to wonder how this unfortunate incident will impact the sport and the reputation of the teams involved.
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