Mexico’s World Cup Coach Defends Homophobic Chant

Photo Credit: Ian MacNicol / Getty ImagesMexico coach Miguel Herrera downplayed a homophobic chant that Mexican fans hurl at opposing goalkeepers during matches, arguing that it’s just a “folksy” part of the game, and is not being used in discriminatory fashion.

Herrera told Mexico’s Radio Red on Friday that fans who chant the word “puto” during Mexico games are not attempting to offend homosexuals.

“This is something that’s used to pressure the opposing team’s goalie…it’s something that we’re not really worried about,” Herrera said from Mexico’s training camp in Brazil.

“FIFA should be worried about more serious things,” the Mexican coach added in his interview with Radio Red.

Puto translates roughly into faggot, in English, though in Mexico the word is also used to describe someone who is cowardly.

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