FIFA opens case against Gustavo Cabral after allegation he racially abused Antonio Rudiger
FIFA has confirmed that the organization's disciplinary committee has opened proceedings against CF Pachuca player Gustavo Cabral after the Argentine was accused of racially abusing the Real Madrid defender Antonio Rudiger during Sunday's Club World Cup group stage fixture.
Rudiger, a German international, immediately notified the match referee Ramon Abatti after the pair appeared to square up during injury time of Madrid's 3-1 win over the Mexican team in Charlotte. The referee performed FIFA's crossed arms protocol gesture to signify that racist abuse had been alleged. Cabral, the 39-year-old Pachuca captain, denied the allegation after the match.
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FIFA said on Tuesday night that the decision to open proceedings has been made 'following an assessment of the match reports' by the officials. Cabral will be permitted to play in the competition while the investigation continues. Pachuca play their final game of the Club World Cup against Al-Hilal on Thursday night but cannot progress into the knockout stages after losing against RB Salzburg and Real Madrid in their first two matches.
He told journalists after the match: 'It was a fight, we collided, he said that I hit him with my hand and then there was an argument and the referee made the sign of racism. In Argentina we say 'cagon de mierda' (a profanity used to call someone a coward), all the time I told him the same thing.'
The Real Madrid head coach Xabi Alonso had announced on Sunday that an investigation into the incident had begun. He said: 'Toni has told us something, the FIFA protocol is activated and an investigation is under way,' Alonso said during his post-match press conference. 'We believe him. It is unacceptable.'
Upon hearing of Cabral's explanation, Rudiger's camp reiterated his position to The Athletic.
The Pachuca head coach Jaime Lozano told the post-match press conference on Sunday: 'I only found out now that you are telling me, we haven't talked about it in the dressing room. I haven't spoken to Cabral about it.
'Nothing justifies that, but I will talk to him but knowing him from before this has never happened with him, nor with any of these Pachuca players in our league. I tell you I can put my hands in the fire for my captain.'
The Athletic reported on June 16 FIFA had decided not to show videos, signage or marketing assets in venues hosting the Club World Cup in the United States which explicitly mention challenging racism or discrimination during the opening days of the tournament.
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This represented a significant rollback from previous FIFA competitions, such as the Women's World Cup in 2023 in Australia and New Zealand and the men's World Cup in 2022 in Qatar.
The federation faced criticism from human rights groups, who called for a reverse of the decision, and FIFA did not explain the reasoning behind the rollback.
FIFA then displayed anti-racism and discrimination messaging at the tournament for one day on Wednesday to mark International Day for Countering Hate Speech. This included a video explaining FIFA's anti-racism protocols and the 'universal anti-racism gesture' being played on the screen before the fixture between Manchester City and Wydad AC at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.
FIFA has declined to comment when asked if the current political climate in the U.S. played any part in its decision amid hostility towards companies who support diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
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