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Monkey chants are sounds that imitate monkeys, usually directed at a player. When aimed at Black players, they are racist: UEFA says the comparison dehumanizes the target and implies that the player is inferior. Related conduct can include monkey gestures and showing, throwing or offering bananas to Black players.
What monkey chants mean at a football match
The term describes fans imitating monkey sounds, sometimes briefly and sometimes for a prolonged period. UEFA’s disciplinary decisions discuss the conduct particularly when it is directed at Black or ethnic-minority players. The point is not the sound in isolation, but its use against a person as a racial insult.
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UEFA also identifies monkey gestures and banana-related abuse as related racist conduct. These actions communicate the same demeaning comparison; they are not harmless substitutes for a spoken slur.
Why the conduct is racist
UEFA’s Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body explains that imitating monkey noises has been used to racially abuse players of African origin or players with Black skin. It says the act dehumanizes the target and signals inferiority by placing the player “on a level of monkeys.” A later UEFA decision states that imitating monkey noises or gestures is aimed at dehumanizing the target and implying inferiority.
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This explains why the chants are racist, rather than merely unpleasant or insulting: they invoke a dehumanizing racial comparison against the player. The sources explain that function and impact; they do not establish one universal historical origin for the practice or show that every person who takes part has an identical motive.
How football officials can respond
Report what happened
UEFA guidance tells officials who witness racist incidents or gestures to report them to the referee, so details can be passed to disciplinary bodies. Reporting helps ensure an incident can be considered through the disciplinary process.
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Use the player signal and match response
FIFA describes a crossed-arms signal called the “No Racism Gesture.” A player targeted by abuse can use it to alert the referee, captain or a team official. FIFA’s action framework includes pausing, suspending or abandoning a match in cases of racism.
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Understand that sanctions depend on the case
There is no single penalty established here for every incident. The governing body, competition rules and facts found in a particular case matter. For example, UEFA reported that after monkey chants were heard by an assistant referee during a 2013 under-21 qualifying match, the home-fan sections were ordered closed for the next home game and a “No to Racism” banner was required. That is an example of a case-specific measure, not an automatic sanction across football.
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