Spain to file CAS appeal over FIFA penalty for Islamophobic chants

Oct 16 : Spain's football federation will take its case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport after FIFA rejected its appeal against sanctions imposed over Islamophobic chants by supporters during a match against Egypt in March.

FIFA fined the federation (RFEF) $20,000 and ordered it to close at least 15 per cent of the available seats for Spain's next home friendly.

The sanctions relate to incidents at the RCDE Stadium near Barcelona, home of LaLiga club Espanyol, where some Spain fans chanted, "If you don't jump, you're 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 RFEF.

The RFEF argued that the word 'Muslim' was "neither insulting nor pejorative", adding 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".

RFEF TURNS TO CAS

The RFEF appealed the sanction, but a FIFA spokesperson told Reuters that it was dismissed last week, prompting the Spanish federation to