Anti-Muslim slogans: FIFA punishes Spain

Bangla Press Desk: A football match on the pitch, but slogans of hatred in the stands—this runs entirely counter to the spirit of the game.
Spain has now faced consequences for these actions. Due to the use of anti-Muslim and xenophobic slogans, Spain will be required to keep 15 percent of the stadium seats closed during their next international friendly match.
That is not all; FIFA has also imposed a fine of $20,000 on the Spanish Football Federation.
On March 31, the defending World Cup champions played a friendly match against Egypt at the RCDE Stadium in Barcelona. About 10 minutes into the first half of the match—which ended in a goalless draw—a group of Spanish supporters chanted anti-Muslim slogans. The same occurred again at the start of the second half. The chant went: "Whoever doesn't jump is a Muslim."
To address the situation, anti-discrimination messages were displayed on the stadium screens—a measure repeated at the start of the second half. However, this was met with jeers from certain sections of the stands.
Following the incident, FIFA launched a disciplinary investigation into the Spanish Football Federation. Spain’s coach, Luis de la Fuente, described the incident as "intolerable," remarking that "individuals with a violent mindset use football as a platform for their own agendas."
Meanwhile, the Egyptian Football Federation condemned the incident as "abhorrent racist behavior." Nevertheless, they expressed confidence that the actions of a few individuals would not affect the positive relationship between the two national football federations.
In a written statement to FIFA, the Spanish Federation argued that the slogans did not constitute discriminatory behavior. FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee rejected this argument, noting that it is contradictory to claim the slogans were harmless while simultaneously acknowledging the need to implement anti-discrimination measures. As a penalty, 15 percent of the stadium seats will remain empty during Spain’s next match—though, with FIFA’s approval, these seats may be occupied by families, students, and members of anti-discrimination organizations. This ban primarily applies to the stands located behind the two goalposts. Spain’s next friendly match is scheduled for June; however, should they reach the Nations League final, the sanction will instead be enforced during one of the international breaks in the autumn, as part of the Euro 2028 qualifiers.
BP/TD