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Mexico national team midfielder Jonathan dos Santos believes actions need to be taken to avoid further fines and a possible stadium ban from FIFA because of fans' homophobic chant when opposition goalkeepers take goal kicks. FIFA fined the Mexican federation 30,000 Swiss francs ($30,600) on Tuesday for "homophobic chants from supporters" during El Tri's home match in Estadio Azteca on Sept. 6 against Honduras. It was the fifth time within 11 months that FIFA has acted on the chant in games involving Mexico. Dos Santos said in a news conference on Tuesday that he hadn't heard about the fine, but that a solution must be found. "Something has to be done about it," he said, although the Villarreal midfielder added that the "Eeeeh P----" chant "has always been done without offending anyone." On Tuesday, Chile were banned from playing a World Cup qualifier at their national stadium and received a fine because of the repeated discriminatory and unsporting conduct of fans and there has been speculation in the Mexican press that El Tri could also be suspended from playing in Estadio Azteca. The Mexican federation launched a campaign entitled "Embraced by Soccer" back in March asking fans not to engage in discriminatory behavior, although the chant has continued at both national team and Liga MX games since. "There are consequences," FMF president Decio de Maria said in March. "There are a series of measures like stopping games, playing them behind closed doors and it could end with a points deductions for teams that don't control their fans." Mexico attacking midfielder Marco Fabian didn't seem overly concerned about the prospect of playing outside the Estadio Azteca. "We're capable of playing anywhere," said the Eintracht Frankfurt player in the same news conference. "They will decide and in whichever stadium we are in we'll have to do a good job." Mexican writer and journalist Juan Villoro, however, launched an attack on the nature of the chant in an interview with ESPN Mexico. "It's a big deal because the chant is certainly an atrocity," said Villoro. "It's not a chant Mexicans should be proud of; it is clearly homophobic."
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