FIFA continues their attempt to crack down on that certain homophobic and bigoted chant that you often hear from a very large contingent of Mexico National Team supporters. Today saw FIFA on Wednesday slap the Mexico Football Federation (FMF) with a $10,000 fine for “discriminatory and insulting chants” directed at Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.
If you’re not familiar with this chant…I’ll let FOX Soccer tell it:
Attend a Mexico national team game or watch one on television, and you’re bound to hear it at least a few times. When the opposing goalkeeper kicks the ball on a goal kick, all at once in a huge chorus, the Mexico fans scream it at the top of their lungs: “Puuuutoooo!”
It’s a chant in Spanish that many deem homophobic and offensive, and organizations like FIFA have said they won’t tolerate such discriminatory, unsporting behavior.
Translated into English it means: “You are a homosexual male prostitute!” It’s really hard to believe this still goes on at futbol matches in 2018.
Urban Dictionary defines puto thusly: “Spanish word for a male prostitute. sometimes it’s offensive for homosexuals. in Mexico it is used for cowards and traitors.”
It’s kind of similar to a pejorative term that Premier League supporters of clubs other than Chelsea often throw at the Blues. Chelsea haters like to call the team and their fans “rent boys,” an English term for male prostitutes, as they connect it to a stereotype of the West London neighborhood where the Chelsea Football Club resides.
Fusion.net has more on the word puto and what it means: “Puto is thus used similarly to “bloody” in the United Kingdom and “fucking” in the United States. It’s pervasive. The chant only reflects the ugly linguistic reality of Latin America and Spain. Everything that provokes rage is a puto.”
It’s gotten so out of hand that some El Tri fans have even yelled it at their own goalkeeper.
ESPN FC points out how the Mexico national team: “has appealed before for an end to the chants — the players even released a video on the subject in 2016 — some supporters have not relented.”
The ESPN article also references the public plea made by Mexico National Team striker Javier “Chicharito” on his Instagram page:
“To all Mexican fans in the stadiums, don’t shout ‘puto’,” Hernandez said. “Let’s not risk another sanction.”
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, is currently a regular contributor to SB Nation, WGN CLTV and Chicago Now.
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