21 April, 2006
A Chilean soccer player has alleged that he had become the target of anti-Semitic insults during a weekend match in which his Santiago Morning Club played 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 in Israel for several seasons, told the Santiago newspaper "El Mercurio" that he would ask the Chilean soccer federation's disciplinary commission to punish Palestino for its fans' behavior. Last month, the world soccer body FIFA adopted new regulations concerning "discriminatory or contemptuous" behavior, empowering authorities to deduct points or disqualify teams from tournaments. The rules will not enter into effect until next season, but on Tuesday, FIFA president Sepp Blatter said they would be applied at the World Cup in Germany next 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.
