BARCELONA, Spain — FIFA have opened disciplinary proceedings against the Royal Spanish Football Federation [RFEF] after anti-Muslim chants were heard during their friendly with Egypt last week.
Spain supporters chanted “If you don’t jump, you’re a Muslim” during the World Cup warmup game played at RCDE Stadium in Barcelona against Egypt, a predominantly Muslim nation with Islam as the official state religion.
World football governing body FIFA subsequently inspected video evidence from the game and reviewed reports from the referee, the match inspector and the on-site security team.
It has now decided to take action against the RFEF, with fines and stadium closures among the list of potential penalties.
“FIFA has opened disciplinary proceedings against the RFEF for the incidents in the friendly against Egypt,” a spokesperson from the governing body confirmed to ESPN on Tuesday.
The Mossos, a strand of local police in Barcelona, are also investigating “Islamophobic and xenophobic chants” which took place during the Spain-Egypt game.
RFEF president Rafael Louzán and Spain national team coach Luis de la Fuente both strongly condemned the chants, which also had a knock-on effect on La Roja and Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal.
At 18, Yamal is one of the stars of the Spain side, helping them win UEFA Euro 2024 two years ago, and is set to play a major role as the team attempts to win the World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico this summer.
Yamal, whose parents are from Morocco and Equatorial Guinea, is also a practicing Muslim and said he was left deeply affected by the incidents.
“I am Muslim, alhamdulillah [thanks be to God],” he posted on Instagram the following day. “In the stadium there were chants of ‘If you don’t jump, you’re a Muslim.’ I know it was against the opposition and nothing personal, but as a Muslim it is still disrespectful and completely intolerable.
“I understand it’s not all supporters, but to those that that chant these things: to use religion as a way of mocking others inside a stadium is ignorant and racist.
“Football is to be enjoyed, to show your support, not to disrespect others for who they are or what they believe in.”
