16 June 2023 , 11:14
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The CONCACAF Nations League semi final clash between the USA and Mexico was halted towards the end of the second half after homophobic chants were heard.
Referee Ivan Barton stopped play in the 89th minute of the match after the chants from the crowd at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. The match resumed but was stopped for good with four minutes of injury time still to play. On the pitch, it was an ill-tempered and chaotic encounter with four players sent off.
After play was stopped the first time, a message was displayed on the scoreboards calling for fans to stop the homophobic chants. The offensive slurs were heard once again, however, with USMNT goalkeeper Matt Turner the subject of the chants following a final goal kick and Barton eventually blew the full-time whistle early with the USA 3-0 up.
The Mexican Football Federation (FMF) has been issued fines before as a result of similar actions by supporters, including a sanction following a chant heard during the World Cup in 2022 in Qatar. In a bid to curtail the offensive chants, the FMF has gone down the route of issuing public service announcements, alongside posts on social media and videos courtesy of players.
CONCACAF confirmed that the match officials acted upon protocol during the match and security staff had removed several fans due to their behaviour inside the stadium. The Confederation has now launched an investigation into the events in an attempt to establish further details.
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The governing body said in a statement later on Friday: "CONCACAF has strongly condemns the discriminatory chanting by some fans during the CNL semi final match between Mexico and the United States.
"Chants heard during the game led to the activation of the anti-discrimination protocol by the match officials. Additionally, security staff ejected several fans for engaging in unacceptable behavior in the stadium."
"These incidents were extremely disappointing and tarnished what should have been a positive occasion to showcase high-quality football in our region."
Four players were sent off during the game after tempers flared on the pitch (Getty Images for USSF)The confederation also had announced earlier that day that they had relaunched its "What's Wrong is Wrong" campaign which seeks to 'raise awareness about the importance of inclusivity and equality' ahead of the CONCACAF games and the Gold Cup over the summer. On top of this programme, they also committed to taking a 'more proactive approach to ejecting fans who engage in discriminatory chants', as well as stepping up security at games.
U.S. Soccer also announced its own policy on discriminatory chanting, with the organisation having resolved to treat the issue with zero-tolerance. Announced in April, their policy reads that a team could be banned from playing an international game in the U.S. for two years if chants are heard, with a second violation amounting to a a five-year sanction, and a third leading to a potential permanent ban.