the rainbow armband remains in the locker room under pressure from FIFA – Liberation

The European teams which had planned to wear the rainbow armband in favor of inclusion and against discrimination gave up on Monday in the face of the threat of “sporting sanctions”, during the World Cup in Qatar.

FIFA have hit rock bottom but are proving they can still dig deeper. The seven European teams which had planned to wear a rainbow armband “One Love” in favor of inclusion and against all discrimination, gave up on Monday in the face of the threat of “sporting penalties” at the World Cup in Qatar, they announced a few hours before the England-Iran match.

In a joint statement with Belgium, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland, the football associations of England and Wales explain: “FIFA has been very clear, they will impose sporting sanctions if our captains wear the armbands on the pitch. As national federations, we cannot ask our players to risk sporting sanctions, including yellow cards”. “We were ready to pay fines… but we cannot put our players in a situation where they could be warned or even forced to leave the field of play”add the federations.

France had already said “no”

These latter are said “very frustrated with FIFA’s decision which we believe is unprecedented”. “Our players and coaches are disappointed – they are strong believers in inclusion and will show their support in other ways.”

France, initially a member of the “One Love” initiative, had already announced through the voice of its captain Hugo Lloris that it would not wear the armband. Asked about the subject, he explained that “his personal opinion” joined that of the president of the FFF, Noël Le Graet, who recommends not wearing the said armband. “When we are in France, when we welcome foreigners, we often want them to comply with our rules, that they respect our culture, and I will do the same when I go to Qatar”, developed the captain of the Blues, believing that the question was not whether he was “agree or disagree with their ideas” more of “show respect”.

“I prefer to stay in my frame, that of a player”reaffirmed the captain of the Blues on Monday, when asked about his choice not to wear the inclusive “One Love” armband at the World Cup, on the eve of France’s entry into the running against Australia. “FIFA organizes the competition, defines a framework, rules. We, players, are asked to play football, to represent our countries as well as possible.pleaded Lloris at a press conference, the glove on the seam of the shorts.