Spain punished by FIFA for Islamophobic chants during Egypt friendly

Spain sanctioned by FIFA after incidents at Espanyol’s stadium in Barcelona, which staged the friendly with Egypt.

Spain have ‌‌‌‌been fined $20,000 and ordered to partially close their stadium ⁠⁠⁠⁠for their ⁠⁠⁠⁠next friendly after supporters twice chanted Islamophobic slogans during the game against Egypt in March, FIFA said ⁠⁠⁠⁠in a statement.

The sanctions relate to incidents at the RCDE Stadium near Barcelona, home of LaLiga club Espanyol, ⁠⁠⁠⁠where some Spain fans chanted, “Who doesn’t jump is a Muslim” during a World Cup warm-up match which ended in a 0-0 draw.

After the second occurrence of the chant, the stadium announcer ‌‌‌‌issued a warning and the scoreboard displayed a message against discriminatory behaviour.

Spain winger Lamine Yamal, who is Muslim, condemned the chants at the time, describing them as disrespectful and intolerable and calling those responsible “ignorant and racist”.

Spanish police launched an investigation the following day, while world governing ⁠⁠⁠⁠body FIFA later started disciplinary proceedings against ⁠⁠⁠⁠the Spanish football federation (RFEF).

It argued that the word ‘Muslim’ was “neither insulting nor pejorative”, adding that the fans’ conduct should be assessed under FIFA’s Article 17, ⁠⁠⁠⁠which covers political, ideological, religious or offensive messages, rather than Article 15, which deals ⁠⁠⁠⁠with discrimination and racist abuse.

However, FIFA’s disciplinary ⁠⁠⁠⁠committee rejected that argument, saying Article 15 does not require the explicit use of a slur and that a term can be discriminatory when ‌‌‌‌used in context as “an insult, taunt, or marker of inferiority”.

FIFA fined the RFEF and ordered the closure of at least ‌‌‌‌15% ‌‌‌‌of available seats for Spain’s next friendly.

Al Jazeera has contacted the RFEF for comment.