The MLS-Liga MX All-Star Game was stopped mid-game due to common anti-gay crowd chant

In late August the MLS-Liga MX All Star Game had to be stopped for 10 minutes by the game officials due to an anti-gay chant common in the Mexican national and Liga MX games. I have referenced this chant in a previous post, and it something FIFA has chosen to take very seriously the past year of so, so much so that they have created a 3 step approach to it if it occurs in games.

Additionally, the Mexican national team will have to play one of its World Cup qualifying matches in an empty stadium due to FIFA response to previous homophobic and discriminatory chants at Mexican Olympic qualifying matches.

To show that this is not a one-off or anything: FIFA fined the Mexican soccer federation due to these exact same chants being used at 11 different qualifying games for the 2018 World Cup.

In previous years these chants had been tolerated, ignored, even laughed at, perhaps due to people not being completely aware of the meaning and intention of the chants, and perhaps due to people in the crowd being surrounded by a crowd people forcefully, excitedly belting out these chants, often with laughter and high-fives. I believe that with added awareness, FIFA fines and sanctioning, and in-game protocols and efforts such as these, we will begin to see needed and visible changes for the better.