Mexico’s National Soccer Team Campaigns Against Homophobia

In the world of sports, homophobic slurs are all too common in stadiums. But Mexico’s national soccer team is taking a stand against this discrimination.

El Tri players have launched a campaign called “Abrazados por el Futbol,” which translates to “Let’s Hug for Football” or “Embrace for Football,” to encourage fans to be more aware of the words they use. The video was published on the team’s YouTube channel last week and asked spectators to refrain from using offensive and derogatory language. The word “puto” is the most commonly used word during games and translates to “faggot” or gay prostitute, and often refers to the opposing team’s goalkeeper.

The campaign was started after FIFA recently fined the Mexican Soccer Federation $20,000 for its chants. Last year, FIFA also fined Mexico for the same reason during the 2014 World Cup, though the country was later cleared of the charges. 

Sadly, Mexican officials plan on contesting the fine, arguing that the word isn't discriminatory in context.

Watch the campaign video: