FIFA Sanctions Spain with Fine and Stadium Closure Over Islamophobic Chants

Spain has been fined $20,000 and ordered to partially close their stadium for their next friendly match after supporters engaged in Islamophobic chants twice during a game against Egypt in March, FIFA announced in a statement. The sanctions stem from incidents at the RCDE Stadium near Barcelona, the home ground of LaLiga club Espanyol. During a World Cup warm-up match that concluded in a 0-0 draw, some Spain fans were heard chanting, “Who doesn’t jump is a Muslim.” Following the second instance of the chant, the stadium announcer issued a warning, and the scoreboard displayed a message condemning discriminatory behaviour.

Spain winger Lamine Yamal, who is Muslim, spoke out against the chants at the time, labeling them as disrespectful and intolerable, and referring to those responsible as “ignorant and racist.” The Spanish police initiated an investigation the day after the match, and FIFA subsequently launched disciplinary proceedings against the Spanish football federation (RFEF).

The RFEF had argued that the word ‘Muslim’ was not inherently insulting or pejorative and that the fans’ conduct should be evaluated under FIFA’s Article 17, which addresses political, ideological, religious, or offensive messages, rather than Article 15, which pertains to discrimination and racist abuse. However, FIFA’s disciplinary committee dismissed this argument, stating that Article 15 does not necessitate the explicit use of a slur and that a term can be deemed discriminatory when used contextually as an “insult, taunt, or marker of inferiority.”

As a result of the ruling, FIFA has fined the RFEF and mandated the closure of at least 15% of available seats for Spain’s upcoming friendly. Al Jazeera has reached out to the RFEF for comment.