Rico on Futbol: Leave ‘Puto’ alone

By Jonny Rico
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Editor’s Note: The opinions reflected in this article do not reflect the full opinions of Prost Amerika’s editors,  writers or photographers. If you disagree with the author’s thoughts feel free to use the comment section below!

Here we go once again. It happened in the middle of the 2014 FIFA World Cup and it is happening again today. The annoying politically correct world is trying to pass judgement on a Mexican soccer tradition.

It doesn’t have the longevity as the ‘Mexican Wave’ but it has been around long enough and done my enough people to consider the “Eeeeeee…. PUTO!” chant during a goal kick by the rival’s goalkeeper to consider the chant a Mexican soccer tradition.

Earlier this month the world football governing body, FIFA announced it handed fines to five Latin America countries for ‘anti-gay’ and ‘discriminatory’ chants by its fans during World Cup Qualification matches. Argentina, Chile, Mexico, Peru and Uruguay were the five nations fined by FIFA.

With all the justification in the world the Mexican Soccer Federation (FMF) has appealed the fine. Because really what is so wrong with this one word chant during a goal kick?

“It is homophobic and it discriminates” is the argument made. But the reality is that the word “Puto” has so many different meanings in Mexico alone, and even more meanings around the rest of the Spanish-speaking world. Yes, one of the many meanings in Mexican Spanish for ‘Puto’ is homophobic in nature. But if a Mexican person really wanted to be homophobic and scream something discriminatory against gay people, there are other words in the Mexican Spanish language that can be used (ie: ‘Maricon”, ‘Marica’).

I’d like to take the opportunity to state for the record that I am against all racist and otherwise discriminatory chants in soccer and sports, in general. Anything that is chanted that promotes violence or discrimination should be outlawed, banned and any team whose fans part-take in this action should be sanctioned.

Having said that, “Eeeeeee PUTO!” does not fit into the above category. It does not promote violence nor does it discriminate against anyone. It is a simple chant meant to insult an opposing team/player.

You have to have a thick skin to be around the Mexican culture. There are very few boundaries in the Mexican culture when it comes to insults and being made fun of. That is just the way life is in Mexico. Chants like the “Puto” chant are not meant to be taken personally. It is just soccer fans having fun at a soccer match.

Mexico has a big discrimination problem. But it has nothing to do with race or sexual orientation. Many people in Mexico suffer from class-ism. People from more humble backgrounds are constantly discriminated against in all parts of life: work place, school, communities, etc. The day we start hearing a “Muerto de Hambre” chant is the day we must begin to worry about discrimination issues in Mexican soccer.

For now, the real root of this problem can be traced back to FIFA. It is not secret that the governing body of soccer has had a rough time in the past few months. Many of its members are currently in FBI custody due to corruption. Its President Joseph Blatter is now banned from all of soccer. With good reason the world does not think too highly of FIFA. And now it is in desperate need for some good P.R. Anything to get anyone talking positively about FIFA.

Mexico and the other Latin American countries are not the target for FIFA to get that positive P.R. with the politically correct community.

If FIFA was really concerned about Gay Rights, why would the 2018 FIFA World Cup be held in a country where Gay people suffer the most discrimination, where there is an alarming amount of racism in its domestic football league?

If FIFA is really concerned with discrimination it should set its sights on Russia and not Latin America and its “Puto” chant.