MOSCOW -- Mexican midfielder Marco Fabian has urged El Tri fans in Russia to end their goalkeeper chant and suggested an alternative , after the anti-gay slur was heard during Mexico's 1-0 win over Germany last Sunday.
FIFA has opened an investigation for the latest incident of Mexico fans using the chant, despite FIFA on multiple occasions fining the Mexican federation (FMF), which has launched educational campaigns to try to stop its use.
And Fabian urged Mexico fans instead to sing well-known Mexican song Cielito Lindo ("Ay, ay, ay, ay, Canta y no llores").
"It's a good moment to send a message," said the Eintracht Frankfurt player in a news conference at the team's training base outside of Moscow. "We ask people not to do the chant. There are different rules now.
"It would be a shame for people to not be allowed in. It's nice to hear 'Cielito Lindo' and the shout of 'Mexico.' We should [try to] avoid punishments."
The Mexican federation has warned that fans caught shouting the chant could have their Fan IDs in Russia confiscated, which would prevent them from using their tickets.
A source within the FMF told ESPN Mexico's Rene Tovar the federation is expecting a fine of 500,000 pesos ($24,000) for the chant's use against Germany.
A FIFA spokesperson confirmed to ESPN on Monday that the organisation is "collecting the different match reports and potential evidence in regards to the matter."
Dennis te Kloese, the FMF's director of national teams said fans could also be ejected from stadiums if it continues.
"What we have to do and keep doing is uniting with the fans to abstain from [doing] the chant," said Te Kloese in an interview with ESPN on Monday. "The consequences are really big, not just for the federation, but also for the fans here.
"The local [organizing] committee can evict people or take away Fan IDs. You've seen what the security is like in Russia and it isn't joking around.
"We can all come together to bring an end to this chant. It honestly affects us in a lot of ways and here in Russia more than ever we have to stop. We ask fans not to do it."
Mexico is preparing for its second Group A game on Saturday against South Korea in Rostov.