On the eve of the World Cup, FIFA president Gianni Infantino urged 32 teams to Qatar that they should “let football take center stage” and “focus on football,” but with just a few days to go for the tournament, that wish didn’t really go as planned.
First, there was last minute alcohol ban in and around the stadium. Then there was dozens of empty seats in the middle of the match when the host country Qatar lost to Ecuador. On Monday, a major controversy between FIFA and seven European countries ended with countries that abandoned plans for their captains to wear special anti-discrimination armbands at the last minute.
– World Cup teams give up the “One Love” captaincy in the midst of FIFA
Just over three hours before England face Iran in their opening Group B match at Khalifa International Stadium, the countries involved – England, Wales, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Denmark – have taken issued a joint statement confirm they won’t wear OneLove’s captaincy after knowing each captain will get a yellow card at the start.
FIFA has insisted that the yellow card penalty was announced as a possible consequence before the last 48 hours, but believe it or not, a tournament steeped in controversy for years over its continued construction. continues to be overshadowed by problems off the pitch even after the games have started.
What is OneLove Armband?
Amid widespread concern over Qatar’s human rights record, many European nations have held talks over whether an agreement can be found for a collective gesture during international matches. are not.
Led by the Dutch Football Association (known as the KNVB), sources have told ESPN that 10 countries have been contacted – the seven mentioned above plus Norway, Sweden and France. In September, nine countries (no France) announced the creation of OneLove armbands, designed to “use the power of football to promote inclusion and send a message against discrimination of any kind as the world’s eyes are on the global game” , as the accompanying newsletter stated at the time. In response, UEFA confirmed in a statement that it “fully supports” the OneLove campaign, adding that it “also approved the use of the captain’s armband during the September international competition. to the associations that contacted us.”
It’s worth noting that that quick approval — UEFA tends to reject anything from member states that could be construed as a political statement — meant there was no detailed discussion. any details about the possible consequences when this same scheme is applied to the World Cup, which is run by FIFA. Sources have told ESPN that the regulations for the Euros, for example, are quite broad and UEFA will provide guidance on matters related to the use of “special equipment,” which is how tapes are classified. hand.
So why is it such a problem at the World Cup?
The Qatari Supreme Committee and FIFA have repeatedly affirmed that “everyone is welcome” amid concerns about the treatment of LGBTQIA+ people in the Gulf country. Same-sex relationships are illegal in this country and can in some cases be punishable by death, making the use of rainbow armbands an extremely sensitive topic.
KNVB’s explanation of how to decide on the color of OneLove’s heart: red/black/green is for everyone, regardless of origin or background, and pink/yellow/blue is used to reflect reflect all gender and sex characteristics. The seven nations involved in qualifying for Qatar – Norway and Sweden missed out – made it clear long before the tournament that they intend to wear the captain’s armband in Qatar, and it appears the only consequence is a penalty. of FIFA. the relevant associations pointed out they are happy to pay.
However, when the teams arrived in Qatar and started preparing, rumors began to circulate about the possibility of a yellow card for every captain. So it’s rumored that, if they choose to wear the captain’s armband, they’ll come out at the start of the game and get a yellow card at the start of the game. FIFA did not publicly confirm everything was correct until early Monday morning, despite repeated requests for comment, which left the countries involved in the action with little time to discuss.
Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, whose position on the pitch reduces the risk of getting a yellow card, emphasize he will wear the captain’s armband regardless. On Sunday, Dutch captain Virgil van Dijk was less enthusiastic about discussing the situation again but still reiterating his support. At the same time, England boss Gareth Southgate believed the matter had been resolved privately, and hours later Harry Kane confirmed his intention to wear the captain’s armband regardless.
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Mark Ogden reacts to the news that players will not be wearing the OneLove captain’s armband after FIFA confirmed sanctions would be imposed on a player wearing it.
Sources told ESPN that the Football Association has been in dialogue with FIFA, but there was no mention of Kane being booked on Sunday night in Qatar. And so, as conversations continued on Monday morning between FIFA and the national associations, FIFA confirmed that captains would be fined and it was clear that sports sanctions were too much of a risk.
In theory, each captain could be banned twice during the tournament if booked in all seven games, and that is before considering the obvious strict disciplinary action they will take during the tournament. every match to avoid committing another offense that may result in another card. According to FIFA rules, players receiving yellow cards in the first two matches of the group stage will miss the third match. He would then qualify to return in the final round of 16, but booking at that stage and in the quarterfinals would mean a player would miss out on the semi-finals (if their team advances). deep), setting the stage for their return in the finals.
So what does it mean for the rest of the league and the ongoing political landscape?
Monday’s confrontation only added to lingering doubts that FIFA and Qatar are only willing to promote diversity and inclusion if it suits their terms. Just one day before the tournament, FIFA announces its own version anti-discrimination armband in the “No Discrimination” campaign. In Monday, They also ordered Belgium to remove the “love” message. From their shirt collars there is no room for discussion.
– Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (US)
Different countries are not happy. The head of the German Football Federation Bernd Neuendorf has described FIFA’s threat of sport sanctions as an “unprecedented show of power”, a view that many associations reflect this view. However, FIFA insists those countries should not be surprised.
Article 13.8.1 of the FIFA Equipping Regulations states: “For FIFA Finals, the captain of each team must wear the captain’s armband provided by FIFA.” A press release on Monday added that: “FIFA is a holistic organization that wants to put football in the interest of society by supporting legitimate and legitimate causes, but it must be done.” within the rules of the game that everyone knows.”
Despite that, it’s another off-field issue that highlights longstanding tensions between the values typical of a World Cup and Qatar’s culture. In their joint statement, the seven nations said: “Our players and coaches are disappointed. They are strong advocates of inclusion and will show support in other ways. ” This item may not be finished.
