Fans at World Cup criticized for videos disrespecting women

Some Latin American fans at the World Cup are receiving strong criticism for sexist behavior and could even face workplace consequences for posting videos in which they encourage foreign women to say offensive things in languages they don't appear to understand.

FILE - In this June 14, 2018 file photo, fans cheer during a 2018 soccer World Cup group A at the Luzhniki stadium in Moscow, Russia. Some South American fans at the World Cup in Russia are receiving strong criticism for sexist behavior and could even face workplace consequences for posting videos in which fans encourage foreign women to say offensive things in languages they don't appear to understand. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana, File)

In one of a handful of videos, a group of Brazilian men surround a woman and encourage her to chant with them in Portuguese an offensive word for female anatomy. In another, Colombian fans encourage a woman to repeat offensive things about herself in Spanish. In yet another, fans from Mexico hold a woman up in the air and urge her to use a slang word for a female body part in Spanish.

As the videos were shared widely on social media and published by media outlets, some of the Brazilian men were identified, and their employers expressed dismay, promising consequences in some cases.

While sexist and offensive behavior was long considered almost inevitable at large sporting events, changing mores and especially increasing awareness of sexual harassment and assault in the wake of the #metoo movement has reduced tolerance for it. For instance, FIFA opened disciplinary proceedings against Mexico after its fans used an anti-gay slur during the team's World Cup win over Germany.

Condemnation of the videos came from many quarters, with some lamenting that they had been published at all and others noting that the strong reaction showed that at least this sort of behavior is losing ground.

Colombia's Foreign Ministry tweeted Tuesday that such behavior "not only degrades the woman, but insults other cultures, our language and our country." For several hours, the ministry pinned the tweet to the top of its feed so it would be the first one read, a sign it considered the matter important.

Several in Brazil expressed embarrassment that the behavior of some was tarnishing the country's image, but also acknowledged the actions reflect a worrying strain in Brazilian culture.

Leandro Cruz, Brazil's minister of sports, told journalists in Moscow on Wednesday that the men were "doing an immense disservice to Brazil."

Brazil's National Council of Women's Rights said in a statement that the behavior "is evidence of the reality of physical, verbal, psychological and moral aggression that many women often face in Brazil and in the world."

One of the men in a video of Brazilian fans apologized for his actions when contacted by the UOL news agency. But he also said too much was being made of the incident, calling it a joke gone awry amid a party atmosphere and too much alcohol.

"We are fathers, workers, and you're ending our lives," the agency quoted Luciano Gil, who said he has a daughter, as saying. "I apologize to women who might have felt offended, but this is becoming a tempest in a teapot."

Brazil's military police post in Santa Catarina confirmed that one of the men in one of the videos was an officer in that southern state and said it would open an administrative disciplinary proceeding to look into his behavior when he returned from Russia.

LATAM Airlines Brazil confirmed one of its staff members was in a video and said it had taken "appropriate measures, in line with its code of ethics and behavior." It would not say what those measures were.

The Bar Association of the state of Pernambuco, meanwhile, said one of the men was a lawyer. It criticized one of the videos and noted that Brazil ranks fifth in the world in violence against women, according to the United Nations, and that Brazilian women are frequently subjected to physical and verbal harassment and assault.

"The statistics are alarming and lead us to a deep reflection on the need for an urgent change in the macho and patriarchal culture that is still, unfortunately, a part of our society," the association said.

Tiago Fernandes, a professor who took to Twitter to criticize the behavior, said he wasn't surprised by it but that he thought Brazil is beginning to change.

"This kind of behavior always existed but never generated this kind of reaction," said Fernandes, who lives in the northeastern city of Recife.

BOSTON (AP) — There has been no final decision on whether or not all U.S. troops will leave Niger and Chad, two African countries that are integral to the military's efforts to counter violent extremist organizations across the Sahel region, a top U.S. military official told The Associated Press on Wednesday.

Niger's ruling junta ended an agreement last month that allows U.S. troops to operate in the West African country. The State Department said Wednesday night that U.S. and Nigerien officials would meet Thursday in the capital, Niamey, “to initiate discussions on an orderly and responsible withdrawal of U.S. forces.”

That meeting comes as the two countries have been “unable to reach an understanding” to continue cooperation “in a manner that addresses the needs and concerns of each side,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said.

The government of neighboring Chad in recent days also has questioned its agreement with the U.S., Joint Chiefs Vice Chairman Adm. Christopher Grady, the nation’s second-highest-ranking military officer, said in an interview.

The agreements allow the U.S. to conduct critical counterterrorism operations within the countries' borders and have supported military partner training in both nations. The reversals have prompted concern that U.S. influence in Africa is losing ground to overtures from Russia and China.

“We are all trying to establish ourselves as the partner of choice,” Grady said. “It’s up to us to establish why we think our partnership with them is important. We certainly want to be there. We want to help them, we want to empower them, we want to do things by, with and through (them)."

While U.S. officials said Saturday that the military would begin plans to withdraw troops from Niger, they said discussions on a new military agreement were ongoing.

"There’s still negotiations underway," Grady said. “I don’t believe there is a final decision on disposition of U.S. forces there.”

Relations have frayed between Niger and Western countries since mutinous soldiers ousted the country’s democratically elected president in July. Niger’s junta has since told French forces to leave and turned instead to Russia for security. Earlier this month, Russian military trainers arrived to reinforce the country’s air defenses and with Russian equipment to train Nigeriens to use.

The government of Chad also recently requested that U.S. forces leave, and officials from the State Department, U.S. Africa Command and the Pentagon will work with Chad's government to make the case for U.S. forces to stay, Grady said.

“The team has got get on the ground there and work it through,” Grady said.

He said that if both countries ultimately decide the U.S. cannot remain there, the military will have to look for alternatives to run counterterrorism missions across the Sahel, a vast region south of the Sahara Desert.

“If we are asked to leave, and after negotiations that’s the way it plays out, then we are going to have to recalculate and figure out a new way to do it,” Grady said.

FILE - A U.S. and Niger flag are raised side by side at the base camp for air forces and other personnel supporting the construction of Niger Air Base 201 in Agadez, Niger, April 16, 2018. The United States is attempting to create a new military agreement with Niger that would allow it to remain in the country, weeks after the junta said its presence was no longer justified, two Western officials told The Associated Press Friday April 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Carley Petesch, File)

FILE - Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Adm. Christopher Grady, right, arrives for a closed door briefing about the leaked highly classified military documents, on Capitol Hill, April 19, 2023, in Washington. Grady says there's been no final decision on whether or not all U.S. troops will leave Niger and Chad. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)