The Court of Arbitration for Sport has definitively dismissed the appeal filed by the Royal Spanish Football Federation against the sanction imposed by FIFA for anti Muslim chanting. The CAS ruling confirms the original punishment: a fine of 20,000 euros and the obligation to close at least 15% of the stadium capacity for the next friendly match of the Spanish senior men's national team on home soil.
The incidents that led to the sanction occurred during the friendly match between Spain and Egypt, played on March 31 at the RCDE Stadium in Cornellà. During the match, a group of supporters repeatedly chanted the phrase "If you're not Muslim, jump," a chant deemed discriminatory by the disciplinary bodies.
In its defense, the RFEF argued before FIFA and later before CAS that it took all possible measures to stop the chanting as soon as it was detected. According to the federation, it immediately activated the anti discrimination protocol, displaying messages on the stadium's giant screens and making announcements over the public address system urging an end to the xenophobic and disrespectful behavior. The RFEF submitted a detailed report documenting these actions, which included reports from stadium security, ticketing officials, and its own monitoring systems.
The federation maintained that these measures were effective in preventing the chants from being repeated and that other spectators in the stadium showed their disapproval of the behavior. It also stated it cooperated fully with authorities to identify those responsible.
However, CAS upheld FIFA's disciplinary decision. In an official statement, the RFEF confirmed the rejection of its appeal. "The decision upholds the original sanction: a fine of $20,000 and the mandatory closure of at least 15% of stadium capacity for the Spanish senior men's national team's next home friendly," the statement read.
The Spanish federation reiterated its disagreement with the severity of the sanction. In its statement, it argued that the punishment is disproportionate compared to FIFA's own disciplinary precedents, noting that comparable automatic stadium restrictions had not been imposed in other cases involving more serious incidents. The RFEF emphasized that it acted "immediately, diligently, and effectively" from the moment it became aware of the incidents.
This confirmed sanction will not affect the upcoming Nations League qualifier against England, scheduled for November 15 at the Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid, as it applies specifically to the next home friendly match. The CAS ruling makes the disciplinary outcome final and binding.
Background and full detail: mundodeportivo.com
