Fifa sanctions football groups over fans’ anti-gay behavior

Rio de Janeiro—The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) has been fined for the second time in less than a month for homopho­bic chants by fans.

World football governing body Fifa said last Thursday the CBF was fined 25,000 Swiss francs—around $26,000—for the behavior of fans during Brazil’s 5-0 victory over Bolivia in a World Cup qualifier in Natal last month.

The CBF was also fined for the same offence during the national team’s 2-1 victory over Colombia in Manaus in September.

Seven other national associ­ations were punished by FIFA on Thursday.

Among them was the Chilean football federation, which was fined 15,000 francs for ho­mophobic abuse during La Roja’s 2-1 victory over Peru in Santiago.

The Argentine football association was also hit with a fine of 15,000 francs for “insulting chants” during the Albiceleste’s loss to Paraguay in Cordoba.

Other nations to be sanc­tioned were Albania, Croatia, Estonia, Iran, Kosovo, Paraguay and Ukraine. PNA