FIFA World Cup 2022: A rainbow-themed armband was intended to be worn by England, Germany, and five other European countries at the World Cup on Monday, but they decided against it due to the possibility of sanctions from FIFA.
In a joint statement, they said “FIFA has been very clear that it will impose sporting sanctions if our captains wear the armbands on the field of play.” Since the LGBTQ rights have always been a topic of debate, the recent FIFA sanctions has resulted in severe criticism from fans world-wide. One must also note that LGBTQ or homosexuality is prohibited in the host nation, Qatar.
What does the FIFA rules say?
According to FIFA regulations, players who wear clothing that has not been approved by the global governing body of football face a chance of receiving a yellow card.
If that player received a second yellow card, they would be dismissed from the game. Harry Kane of England and Manuel Neuer of Germany were due to wear the “OneLove” armband, which is part of a movement to encourage inclusivity.
Since homosexuality is prohibited in the host country of Qatar, the armbands were widely perceived as a form of protest.
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Clubs issue a joint-statement
Thee federations of England, Wales, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland remarked, “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 teams from Germany and Denmark had previously stated that their captains would wear the armband, but they have since changed their minds.
Strict rules in Qatar creates stir
Since winning the rights to host the tournament in 2010, Qatar has come under criticism for how it treats migrant workers and for its attitudes toward the LGBTQ+ community and women’s rights. The controversy over the armbands comes after discussions about other stringent regulations during the Qatar World Cup, such as the last-minute decision to prohibit the sale of alcohol in stadiums.
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