Homophobic chant mars Gold Cup final between Mexico and U.S.
CHICAGO — In the least surprising news of the 2019 Gold Cup, Mexico fans marred Sunday’s final with their notorious anti-gay chant.
It greeted U.S. keeper Zack Steffen’s first long kicks as loud as ever: “Eeeeeehhhhhh ... p***!” Mexico’s supporters, who probably filled 85 percent of Soldier Field Sunday night, didn’t even wait for Steffen’s actual goal kicks – though they screamed loud and clear at those as well.
The word, which has multiple meanings, but which to many loosely translates to “f*****,” has been rule homophobic by FIFA. Mexico’s soccer federation was fined 11 times for the chant’s presence at 2018 World Cup qualifiers.
The chant was quelled at the World Cup itself, but reappeared at friendlies between World Cup and Gold Cup. It was loud and clear at Mexico’s Gold Cup opener, and continued despite a public address announcement warning fans that the game would be halted if it continued.
Of course, the game was not halted. Nor have any others, though the chant has followed Mexico to each of its six matches.
Responsibility for addressing the chant at the Gold Cup largely falls to the Mexican federation (FMF) and CONCACAF. Neither has acted sufficiently.
CONCACAF said recently in a statement that "the goal-kick chant from Mexican fans is offensive, has no place in football, and must be stopped." But prior to the tournament, all it did to preemptively try to stop it was continue an ineffective “educational” campaign.
And CONCACAF has not kicked fans out of stadiums after the fact, nor done anything else to even attempt to get rid of the chant. Here’s more on those efforts – or lack thereof.
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Henry Bushnell is a features writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Question? Comment? Email him at henrydbushnell@gmail.com, or follow him on Twitter @HenryBushnell, and on Facebook.
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