Hong Kong FA fined for racial abuse towards Azkals

MANILA, Philippines – The June 4 football game between the Azkals and the Hong Kong team was supposed to be a friendly game, but the fans in Hong Kong didn’t get the memo.

The world’s football governing body FIFA has levied a fine of 30,000 Swiss Francs, or nearly P1.5 million against the Hong Kong Football Association for alleged racially motivated unruliness directed towards the Filipino players and fans by local fans at Hong Kong’s Mong Kok Stadium. FIFA also ordered the HKFA to cover the Philippines’ expenses for the proceedings, totalling nearly 150,000 pesos.

The game, which ended in a 1-0 victory for the Azkals, was marred by allegations of trash throwing and slurs from the Hong Kong fans, with some alleging they were taunted with chants “you’re all just slaves.”

In a statement issued Friday night that was printed by Wall Street Asia, the HKFA conceded that the FIFA Disciplinary Code calls for the host team to be sanctioned for any unruliness from the fans, but downplayed the events as “minor in nature.”

“In my opinion, the incidents were very minor in nature and there was significant provocation by a number of the Philippine players,” said HKFA’s chief executive Mark Sutcliffe. “Having said that, we do not condone any acts of violence or racial discrimination and…we will implement stadium bans on any individuals convicted of an offense of this nature.”

Sutcliffe continues that he was “disappointed with the initial decision” and “we reserve the right to lodge a formal appeal once we have been given more information on the ground for this decision.”

Prior to the game, local fans booed the Filipino National Anthem, one British spectator told the South China Morning Post, continuing that celebrating fans were subjected to “such abuse – verbal, gestures and physical – as they were pelted with bottles and other objects.” – Rappler.com