June 9 – The friendly between Mexico and Brazil was paused after the Mexican fans chanted the gay slur ‘puto’ from the stands behind the goal.
Before the hour mark, referee Lukasz Szpala stopped the game at Kyle Field in Texas and initiated the first stage of the new three-step protocol aimed at stamping out discriminatory language at Kyle Field on the campus of Texas A&M University in College Station.
More than 85,000 fans were in attendance.
A message was shown on the big screen and read: “Because of the discriminatory chant you just heard, the game has been temporarily stopped. Any individual participating in the discriminatory chant will be ejected from the stadium.”
It is not the first time that discriminatory and homophobic chants have marred matches of the Mexican national on American soil. At the recent Nations League final between the US and Mexico at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, Concacaf also had to apply the protocol as the match was stopped twice and came within seconds of being abandoned.
“CONCACAF condemns the discriminatory chanting in the final minutes of the Nations League Final between Mexico and the United States men’s national teams,” a statement read after the March incident.
“Security staff in the stadium identified and ejected a significant number of fans, and the referee and match officials activated the FIFA protocol.”
FIFA rolled out the three-step protocol before the 2018 World Cup in Russia and the world governing body has repeatedly sanctioned the Mexican FA (FMF).
Ultimately, Brazil won the friendly 3-2.
Real Madrid-bound Endrick came to the rescue for Brazil again with a last-minute winner after the Mexicans clawed their way back from 2-0 down.
The five-time world champions have a final warm-up match against the United States before they embark on their Copa America campaign with matches against Colombia, Costa Rica and Paraguay in the group stages.
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