SDFC confronts fans' homophobic chant that's plagued soccer for years
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SDFC's fan supporter group condemned the chant on social media. Photo: Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images
San Diego FC's debut home opener Saturday was scarred by some fans yelling an anti-gay slur, that prompted multiple warnings and threatened to end the game early.
The big picture: Despite numerous efforts over the last two decades to end the homophobic chant, it has persisted among fans at Mexican club and national team games, including World Cup matches.
- International soccer governing bodies, including FIFA and CONCACAF, and the MLS have tried to eradicate it from stadiums through sanctions, public awareness campaigns and policies.
- The Mexican soccer federation has received hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines and its teams have been forced to play in empty stadiums.
Zoom in: The Spanish word yelled by fans translates to gay prostitute in English, but some fans have argued it's a generic insult and not meant to be offensive.
- Fans shout "Ehhhh, p—" to taunt the opposing team's goalkeeper during a goal kick — like when fans heckle basketball players shooting free throws.
State of play: FIFA has a three-step protocol for discriminatory incidents during games, which the MLS and U.S. Soccer have adopted.
- The first step is a warning announcement, then a stoppage of play with both teams returning to the locker rooms, and finally cancelling the match.
What they're saying: "The use of homophobic language in our stadium is completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated," SDFC said in a statement following the game.
- Head coach Mikey Varas and sporting director Tyler Heaps sent the same message at the post-game press conference, addressing fans in both Spanish and English.
- The club said it will "communicate a detailed plan" to address the behavior before the next home game on March 16 at Snapdragon Stadium.
Between the lines: CEO Tom Penn wasn't sure whether the derogatory chant would happen at SDFC's first-ever home game but "certainly knew it was a possibility, given the history and where we're located," he told The Athletic.
- He's been in this situation before as the president at Los Angeles FC in 2018, when fans used it at that club's inaugural match.
- LAFC successfully stopped the chant through a collaborative effort from the club's front office, players and supporter groups that included press releases, a video and an on-field plea to fans at the next game.
The bottom line: It's not a unique challenge for SDFC, but one that the new club is forced to navigate as it cultivates its Mexican fanbase while standing strong in its values of inclusivity.