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News > Latin America

Argentina: Referees Consider 'Temporarily' Suspending Soccer Matches Over Anti-Macri Chants

  • Argentina's President Mauricio Macri and U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson during their meeting at the Olivos Presidential Residence in Buenos Aires, Argentina February 5, 2018.

    Argentina's President Mauricio Macri and U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson during their meeting at the Olivos Presidential Residence in Buenos Aires, Argentina February 5, 2018. | Photo: Reuters

Published 28 February 2018
Opinion

Prominent Argentinian sex workers say the remarks are indeed discriminatory because none of them gave birth to Macri.

The Argentinian referees association is considering temporarily suspending soccer matches if fans start chanting slogans against President Mauricio Macri, and resume them only when they stop.

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The Executive Committee of Argentinian Soccer Association (AFA) will meet next week to discuss if the slogans represent a “discriminatory act” and if any measures need to be taken to prevent them.

Argentina's soccer matches are regularly suspended for discriminatory chants by attending club fans since years ago, normally against the Bolivian, Paraguayan and Jewish communities in the country.

Now, the AFA must decide if “Macri, you son of a bitch!” is a discriminatory remark.

Those who chant against Macri are appealing on the grounds of freedom of expression. “We believe the remarks are a political, popular and democratic expression that must be listened,” said Hernan Aisenberg, head of the Fans Coordinator which represents the sympathizers of several Argentinian soccer clubs.

Aisenberg says that any chants “against the president or any authority, even of their own clubs, must be respected” because they represent a “protest chant,” criticizing those who claim the chant is discriminatory.

Others think the chanting is indeed discriminatory, but not because they're defending Macri.

“We whores insist, Macri is not our son,” tweeted Maria Riot, a famous feminist sex worker in Argentina.

The Sex Workers Union of Argentina also tweeted that “Mauricio Macri, you son of police!” would be a better slogan for soccer fans.

The chants started on February 4th during a match between San Lorenzo de Almagro and Boca Juniors following the expulsion of two San Lorenzo players. Macri served as the president of Boca Juniors from 1996 to 2008 and was involved in a series of controversial decisions in his time at the club.

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