From Al Jazeera · · 1m 30s
Spain appeals FIFA penalty for Islamophobic chants
Spain's football federation takes its case to sport's highest court after FIFA rejected an appeal over sanctions for discriminatory chants during a World Cup warm-up match.
In brief
Spain's football federation takes its case to sport's highest court after FIFA rejected an appeal over sanctions for discriminatory chants during a World Cup warm-up match. Spain's football federation is appealing to the Court of Arbitration for Sport after FIFA rejected its challenge to sanctions imposed for…
FIFA sanctions Spain over chants
FIFA fined Spain's football federation twenty thousand dollars and ordered it to close at least fifteen percent of available seats for the next home friendly after Islamophobic chants during a March World Cup warm-up match…
What the supporters chanted
At the RCDE Stadium near Barcelona, Spain fans chanted, "If you don't jump, you're a Muslim" during the goalless match.
“If you don't jump, you're a Muslim”
Lamine Yamal condemns the chants
Spain winger Lamine Yamal, who is Muslim, condemned the chants at the time, describing them as disrespectful and intolerable and calling those responsible ignorant and racist.
RFEF argues over which rule applies
The RFEF argued that the word Muslim was neither insulting nor pejorative and that conduct should be assessed under Article seventeen covering offensive messages rather than Article fifteen on discrimination and racist abuse.
“neither insulting nor pejorative”
FIFA rejects appeal, Spain goes to CAS
FIFA's disciplinary committee rejected the RFEF's argument, ruling that Article fifteen does not require explicit slurs and a term can be discriminatory when used as an insult, taunt or marker of inferiority.
“an insult, taunt, or marker of inferiority”
The takeaway
Spain's football federation is appealing to the Court of Arbitration for Sport after FIFA rejected its challenge to sanctions imposed for Islamophobic chants by supporters during a March match against Egypt.
