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After some fans allegedly directed anti-Muslim chants during last Tuesday’s international soccer friendly between Spain’s national team and Egypt, FIFA confirmed it had opened disciplinary proceedings.
In a statement, the sport’s governing body said the action was taken against Spain’s federation following the incident.
“FIFA has today initiated disciplinary proceedings against the Spanish Football Federation for incidents that occurred during the friendly match against Egypt.”
RCDE Stadium in Catalonia, Spain, hosted the March 31 match, with Spain as the home team. Fans in sections of the 40,000-seat stadium — a potential future World Cup site — were possibly heard chanting, “bote, bote, bote musulman el que no bote,” which translates to “jump, jump, jump, whoever doesn’t jump is a Muslim.” The chant resurfaced several times during the match.
The stadium announcer issued a warning to fans about the venue’s policy against discriminatory behavior following reports of anti-Muslim chants.
Egypt is overwhelming a Muslim nation. According to the World Religion Database, approximately 90% of the country’s population identifies as Muslim.
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Spain star Lamine Yamal, condemned the chants a day later, labeling those responsible “ignorant and racist.”
“I am a Muslim, thank God,” the 18-year-old wrote in a post to Instagram Wednesday. “I understand not all the fanbase is like that, but to those who sing those chants: using religion as something to mock people in a football stadium leaves you as ignorant and racist people.”
“Football is to enjoy and support, not to offend people by who they are or what they believe in,” Yamal’s post concluded.
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Criticism came swiftly, with the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) denouncing the behavior before full time and Joan Garcia and Pedri echoing that stance after the match.
“The RFEF stands against racism in football and condemns any act of violence inside stadiums,” the governing body of the sport in Spain wrote in a statement posted to social media last Tuesday.
The response extended beyond the pitch, with Spain’s minister of education, vocational training and sport and the Council on American-Islamic Relations also condemning the chants.
Spain’s coach Luis de la Fuente also condemned the messaging. “I am repulsed by and absolutely reject any form of xenophobia or racism — it’s completely intolerable,” he said at a news conference.
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