Fifa fines hong kong after fans whistle chinese anthem
A sensitive topic!
According to reports, FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) has fined the Hong Kong Football Association (HKFA) $15,000 for the behavior of Hong Kong fans during a match against China in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers.
The incident occurred on November 14, 2019, when Hong Kong fans whistled and booed during the playing of the Chinese national anthem before the match. This was seen as a deliberate act of disrespect towards the Chinese government and its anthem, which is a sensitive issue in the region.
FIFA's decision to fine the HKFA was announced on January 22, 2020. In a statement, FIFA said that the fine was imposed for "infringements of the FIFA Disciplinary Code" related to the behavior of the Hong Kong fans.
The Hong Kong government and the HKFA had previously condemned the behavior of the fans, saying that it was "unacceptable" and "disrespectful" to the Chinese national anthem. The incident has also sparked controversy and debate about the role of politics in sports and the sensitivity of national anthems.
It's worth noting that this is not the first time that Hong Kong fans have been involved in controversy related to the Chinese national anthem. In 2019, a similar incident occurred during a match between Hong Kong and Malaysia, leading to a fine from FIFA.