Soccer player complains of anti-Semitic insults from Chile's Arab community

AP:

A Chilean soccer player said Tuesday he was the target of anti-Semitic insults during a weekend match in which his Santiago Morning club beat 1-0 Palestino, a team that has a fan following largely from Chile's Arab community.

Midfielder Rodrigo Goldberg, who is Jewish and last year returned to his native Chile after playing several seasons in Israel, told the Santiago daily El Mercurio he will ask the Chilean soccer federation's disciplinary commission to punish Palestino for its fans' behaviour.

Last month, FIFA adopted new regulations concerning "discriminatory or contemptuous" behaviour, empowering authorities to deduct points or disqualify teams from tournaments. The rules won't go into effect until next season, but earlier Tuesday, FIFA president Sepp Blatter said they will be used at the World Cup beginning in June.

"I was surprised at the hatred they showed. We have to put an end to these things," Goldberg told the newspaper. "If I can do something to prevent this from happening again, I will do it. We have to keep these people away from the stadiums."

Goldberg said that before Sunday's match, he received an anonymous telephone call at home with threats and insults.

The head of the Chilean federation's discipline commission, Angel Botto, said an investigation will be conducted and that the club Palestino could be punished.

Palestino said it issued "a public apology" to the player, adding it would take measures to ensure "something like this does not happen again."

FIFA's new regulations came following a series of widely publicized events in Europe in which black players, mostly from Africa, have been taunted by fans mimicking monkeys. Last week, defender Antonio Carlos of Brazil's Juventude club was criminally charged with racism for racially insulting Gremio midfielder Jeovanio during a March 5 match.

'They called me Jewish garbage'