Mexican fans call anti-gay insult at Copa America ‘disgraceful’

Mexico has been knocked out of the Copa America, while the players continue to hear the familiar anti-gay slurs from their fans.

“El Tri” will co-host the World Cup in two years, but their fans’ urge to chant a homophobic slur shows no signs of abating, despite THREE separate stadium announcements on Sunday.

A crowd of 62,565 packed State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Az., for Mexico’s must-win Group B match against Ecuador. The game ended 0-0.

In addition to the many announcements, a warning in Spanish was displayed on the big screen. It read: “The referee has indicated that the match may be stopped due to discriminatory behavior among spectators. Discrimination in football stadiums will not be tolerated. If this continues, the match will be stopped and eventually canceled.”

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Among the Mexican fans in attendance on Sunday was politician Jorge Maynez, one of the presidential candidates in the country’s recent elections.

In a video posted to his X account, the 38-year-old expressed his disgust at the slogan.

“The same joy you feel when you watch your team with thousands of Mexicans turns into shame when you hear this discriminatory cry during Pride month,” Maynez said.

He added: “Let this be the last time anything against rights and freedoms is shouted during a national team match… never again that shouting.

“It is an honor to have this flag, it is an honor to have this shield; but please let this be the last time that anything in favor of discrimination is heard.”

I feel happy to be Mexican. And I would stay with Mexico 🇲🇽 in the good, the bad and the bad people.

But discrimination is a danger. It was good. Oh, wait a minute! photo.twitter.com/SouYUateCA

— Jorge Álvarez Máynez (@AlvarezMaynez) July 1, 2024

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Despite numerous attempts at anti-discrimination campaigns, the slogan has plagued the Mexican Football Federation (FMF) for years.

And the people who support this game, including Major League Soccer, just don’t care. They make too much money to care about those pesky gays.

Matches had to be played behind closed doors and fines were imposed. The Mexican Football Federation has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport against a FIFA disciplinary edict on the Qatar 2022 World Cup. Mexican fans clearly chanted the anti-gay smear. And Mexico is protesting.

The Copa America tournament, organised by the football federation CONMEBOL, is said to be using FIFA’s protocol on discriminatory chants.

This is a three-step protocol that gives match officials the ability to stop, suspend or even abandon a match if the chants continue.

Earlier in June, Mexico’s pre-tournament friendly against Uruguay in Denver was suspended for a period of time due to the chanting, but then the match resumed. Mexico lost that match 4-0.

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Yes, the Mexican soccer team is really bad right now. And that has only made the problem worse.

Three days later, the chant was heard again as Mexico lost 3-2 to Brazil at Kyle Field in College Station, Texas. Once again, the referee briefly interrupted the game while a warning message was played over the stadium loudspeakers, before restarting the game.

If the chants were to occur during the World Cup in Mexico, FIFA would be under immense pressure to take stronger action.

Mexico will play two of its Group A matches at the 87,000-capacity Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, with the other match taking place in Guadalajara.