According to the Asian Football Confederation, the price for heckling another team and calling them "dogs" is US$15,000 (S$20,400).

The AFC announced on Oct. 31 that they would fine the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) for two occasions during the recent SEA games, where Malaysian "Ultra" fans chanted "Brunei dogs should just be killed" and "Singapore are dogs".

The word "anjing", meaning dogs, were chanted against opponents who played against the Malaysia team.

The total fine comes up to US$30,000 (S$40,800).

Chanted during SEA Games

FAM's Secretary-General Hamidin Mohd Amin previously expressed "regret" for the chants sang by the Ultras during the SEA Games, and promised they would stop on the basis of "ASEAN friendship".

The chant appears to have begun in the early 2010s.

The first major incident was during the 2012 ASEAN Football Federation Suzuki Cup, where Malaysian Ultras chanted in full voice and the video was uploaded to YouTube.

Bad fans

Fines are common punishments for extreme or vulgar chants in football around the world.

UEFA, the European football body, routinely hands out fines for racist chants, usually aimed at black players.

In 2012, they fined Italian football club Lazio €40,000 after racist chants were heard from the Lazio supporters aimed at Tottenham Hotspurs players during a Europa League game.

Stadium bans

When fines don't seem to work, UEFA also impose stadium bans.

In 2016, Polish football club Legia Warsaw was forced to play Real Madrid in an empty stadium following racist chants from the Legia Warsaw fans.

Clubs and football associations also work together to identify the culprits, and in some cases ban them from the stadium for life.

Do fines really work?

Critics say the fines are relatively small when compared to the income a football club or football association receives. And as seen in Europe, the fines have done little to deter racist and extremist chants.

It remains to be seen whether the fines imposed on FAM will have the desired effect.

If the anjing chant rears its ugly head once more during the next international game, Malaysia might need to seriously identify and punish the worst offenders with lifetime bans to send a strong message that this behaviour will not be tolerated.

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Top image via YouTube screenshot