Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Friday, Mar 29, 2024

Seven European World Cup captains ditch OneLove armband following FIFA pressure

Seven European World Cup captains ditch OneLove armband following FIFA pressure

The captains of England, Wales, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany and Denmark will not wear 'OneLove' armbands at the World Cup under pressure from FIFA, their associations said in a joint statement on Monday.

FIFA has threatened to issue yellow cards to any player wearing the multi-coloured armband which was introduced to support diversity and inclusion.

England captain Harry Kane spoke on Sunday of his desire to wear the armband in Monday's Group B opener against Iran.

"FIFA has been very clear that it will impose sporting sanctions if our captains wear the armbands on the field of play," the statement said, hours before England's match against Iran was due to kick off in Doha.

"As national federations, we can't put our players in a position where they could face sporting sanctions including bookings, so we have asked the captains not to attempt to wear the armbands in FIFA World Cup games."

The move attracted swift and scathing criticism from groups representing the LGBT+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) community.

"More than disappointing that @FIFAWorldCup and @FIFAcom silence & deflection means European captains face starting games with yellow cards for trying to highlight issues around human rights," 3LionsPride, a group representing England fans, said.

"Their basic rights to freedom of speech & expression being crushed by FIFA."

England's Football Supporters' Association (FSA) said it felt contempt for FIFA.

"To paraphrase FIFA president Gianni Infantino -- today LGBT+ football supporters and their allies will feel angry," it said.

"Today we feel betrayed. Today we feel contempt for an organisation that has shown its true values by giving the yellow card to players and the red card to tolerance."

The nations' joint statement said they were "very frustrated" by the FIFA decision which came days after president Gianni Infantino said "today I feel gay" during a long monologue aimed at media criticising the decision to host the World Cup in a country where homosexuality remains illegal.

"We believe (the decision) is unprecedented -- we wrote to FIFA in September informing them of our wish to wear the One Love armband to actively support inclusion in football, and had no response," the statement said.

"Our players and coaches are disappointed -- they are strong supporters of inclusion and will show support in other ways."


UNPRECEDENTED DECISION


German Football Association president Bernd Neuendorf said that although FIFA's decision was unprecedented, it was unfair for the players to shoulder the responsibility for any potential consequences if they decided to wear it anyway.

"We are witnessing a case with no precedent in World Cup history," Neuendorf said. "I will not carry the confrontation created by FIFA onto the back of (Germany team captain) Manuel Neuer."

The German FA is the world's largest federation with more than seven million active members.

Amnesty International said FIFA was failing to uphold its own values and responsibilities.

"Sport does not happen in a vacuum and these are issues on which FIFA should be leading, not cracking down on," said Steve Cockburn, Amnesty's Head of Economic and Social Justice.

"Agreements on armbands, and better protections for LGBTI communities, should have been reached a long time ago. We applaud the courage of teams and players who have spoken out about human rights and we hope they continue to do so."

Wales captain Gareth Bale had been planning to wear the OneLove armband against the United States later on Monday as had Dutch skipper Virgil van Dijk. Germany's Neuer had said days ago he would wear it in Wednesday's game against Japan.


HEAVY HEART


The Dutch FA said it had taken the decision with a heavy heart ahead of the Netherlands match against Senegal on Monday.

"You don't want the captain to start the match with a yellow card. That is why it is with a heavy heart that we as a UEFA working group ... and as a team had to decide to abandon our plan," the KNVB said in a statement.

"This is completely against the spirit of our sport, which unites millions of people.

"Together with other countries involved we will critically look at our relation with FIFA."

FIFA launched its own captain's armband campaign ahead of the tournament to promote different causes for each round.

On Monday it said had brought forward its own "No Discrimination" from the planned quarter-finals stage in order that all 32 captains will have the opportunity to wear its own armband during the tournament.

"This is in line with Article 13.8.1 of the FIFA Equipment Regulations, which state: 'For FIFA Final Competitions, the captain of each Team must wear the captain's armband provided by FIFA'," the world governing body said in a statement.

According to FIFA rules, team equipment must not have any political, religious or personal slogans, statements or images, and during FIFA Final Competitions, the captain of each team "must wear the captain's armband provided by FIFA".

Former England player Stan Collymore said Kane should make a stand and wear the armband.

"Wear it skipper. Take everything thrown at you. It's about more than football," he said on Twitter.

England confirmed on Sunday they will take the knee before kickoff, a ritual they have observed to support equality and anti-racism messages.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Reports in Gaza: 5 dead from the impact of aid packages dropped by the USA
Apple warns against drying iPhones with rice
China Criticizes US for Vetoing UN Ceasefire Resolution in Gaza
In a recent High Court hearing, the U.S. argued that Julian Assange endangered lives by releasing classified information.
The U.S. vetoed a U.N. Security Council resolution calling for a temporary ceasefire in Gaza, instead proposing its own six-week ceasefire plan contingent upon the release of all hostages held by Hamas
Prince William Urges End to Gaza Conflict
Saudi Arabia ranks first in UN index for e-government services in MENA
Israel has gone ‘beyond self-defence’ in Gaza, says Labour’s Streeting
EU Calls for Immediate Ceasefire in Gaza Conflict
Israel Records 20% Drop In GDP, War In Gaza Is The Reason
Saudi Arabia's FDI Inflows Grow with New International Standards
Venture Capitals Power Up Across MENA Region
Saudi Arabia Introduces Terms for 30-Year Income Tax Exemption for Multinational Companies
Saudi FM: Establishing Palestinian state is only pathway for Mideast stability
Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny has died at the Arctic prison colony
Elon Musk's Starlink Gets License For Israel, Parts Of Gaza
Influencers Exploit X Platform for Profit Amidst Israel-Gaza Conflict
PM Modi Announces Opening Of New CBSE Office In Dubai
International Criminal Court's Chief "Deeply Concerned" By Rafah Bombing
January Funding for MENA Startups Totals $86.5 Million
Saudi Arabia accelerates digital economy growth through Nvidia partnership
Indian female military officers commend Saudi Arabia's progress and women's empowerment
Israel unveils tunnels underneath Gaza City headquarters of UN agency for Palestinian refugees
Israel deploys new military AI in Gaza war
Egypt threatens to suspend key peace treaty if Israel pushes into Gaza border town, officials say
Israel Utilizes AI Military Technology in Gaza Conflict
Saudi Arabia Warns Of A "Humanitarian Catastrophe" If Israel Moves On Rafah
China Warns Iran to Halt Houthi Attacks or Damage Trade Ties
US University To Shut Qatar Campus Due To "Heightened Mideast Instability"
Iran-backed hackers interrupt UAE TV streaming services with deepfake news
Facebook and Instagram Ban Iran's Supreme Leader
Finnish Airline, Finnair, is voluntarily weighing passengers to better estimate flight cargo weight
U.S. Secretary of State Blinken: The Israelis underwent dehumanization on 7.10, this does not give them the right to do this to others.
Defense Technology Showcase Held in Riyadh
Saudi Arabia’s non-oil exports rise 2.5% to $6bn in November 2023: GASTAT
UK Bans Misleading "Zero Emissions" Claims for Electric Cars
Gaza's Teen Inventor Sparks Light in Displacement
Netanyahu Rejects Ceasefire Proposal, Insists On Total Victory Over Hamas
Guterres appoints independent UNRWA review panel
Private Sector Employment Hits Record High with Over 11 Million Employees in January
Rolls-Royce Executive Encourages Saudi Women to Tap into Their Inner 'Superhero' for Success in Defense Industry
Saudi Arabia launches National Academy of Vehicles and Cars
Saudi Tourism Minister Reveals Plan for 250,000 New Hotel Rooms by 2030
SAR to more than double eastern network passenger capacity with new trains deal
Saudi Arabia Enhances National Defense with New Partnerships
Saudi Aramco Maintains Arab Light Crude Pricing to Asia for March
NEOM Establishes New York Office to Support Investors
Saudi Wealth Fund Draws in Over $25 Billion Worth of Investments in Three Years, Al-Rumayyan Reveals
ZATCA Cautions Against Scammer Schemes
INTRA Defense Technologies inaugurates drone factory in Riyadh
×