In the first days of the World Cup, there was a huge uproar about captain’s armbands. Many competing countries had planned to use the Onelove captain’s armband with the rainbow logo.
It is known that the Qatari administration systematically violates the rights of sexual and gender minorities. Under Qatari law, homosexuality is a crime.
Fifa decided to ban the strips and threaten that the player will receive a warning for wearing them.
“Nonsense,” said the Swedish expert
Former FIFA top referee, refereed the World Cup and the Champions League Jonas Eriksson your line to SVT (you switch to another service), that Fifa’s decision is “pure nonsense”. He said the referees can’t give a warning like that.
Eriksson criticized Fifa for “loose threats”. The Swedish expert was of the opinion that, for example, sanctions, which are usually fines, can be issued for prohibited political messages.
– That is done by Fifa afterwards, and it has nothing to do with the referee, commented Eriksson.
Urheilu reached out to Finnish referee experts. They agreed with Eriksson. In their opinion, the decision is part of the pressure Fifa and Qatar have received from the host country’s human rights situation and other grievances.
For example, ‘s foreign editor Sampo Vaarakallio wrote about Qatar that Fifa is afraid of the Qatari government, and the banning of the OneLove tape is a confusing act.
– Qatar determines the ways of expressing opinions, not the president of Fifa With Gianni Infantino have your own will in the matter.
No justification from the rule book
Rule 4 of the football rulebook deals with players’ equipment. Rule 4(5) states:
– The equipment must not contain any political, religious or personal messages, slogans or images. Players may not reveal underwear with political, religious or personal messages, slogans or images, nor any advertising other than the manufacturer’s logo. For all violations of the rules, the player and/or the club will be punished by the organizer of the competition, the national football association or Fifa.
According to Finnish refereeing experts, the rules say that game uniforms cannot have political messages, but the OneLove captain’s armband does not. The opinion of the experts is that there should be no obstacle to the captain’s armband in question.
Experts consider that usually such bans can be thought of as justified on the basis of provocative or political slogans, gestures or actions. In such situations, the referee can give a yellow card, and usually the tournament organizer, in this case Fifa, hands out fines for the actions.
The referee can give a warning, for example, if, while celebrating a goal, he raises his jersey and shows some political message. Provocative gestures or finger signs in the direction of the audience or the referee can also lead to a warning. Examples of all of these have been seen in international football.
“When determining whether a message, slogan or image is permitted, attention should be paid to Rule 12 (Prohibited play and inappropriate conduct), which requires the referee to take action against a player who:
– use obscene, offensive or insulting language and/or actions
– acts provocatively, mockingly or incitingly
Any messages, slogans or images that fall into these categories are prohibited. “Religious” and “personal” are relatively easy to define, but “political” is less clear. Messages, slogans or images are prohibited when they relate to:
– to any person or persons, living or dead (unless as part of the official competition name)
– to any local, regional, national or international political party/organization/group etc.
– to any local, regional or national government or any of its departments or functions
– to any discriminatory organization”
Among other things According to ESPN (you will be transferred to another service) Fifa justified its new equipment rule with article 13.8.1. It’s about Fifa’s equipment regulations. The article states that in Fifa’s final tournaments, the captain of each team must wear the captain’s armband provided by Fifa. If Fifa provides captain’s armbands, the captain should wear the one that stands out most clearly from the color of the sleeve, the article continues.
However, it is not about the actual football rules, but about separate Fifa regulations. Now the referees have been drawn into the controversy, which has caused astonishment among the referees, reported by the Daily Mail (you will be transferred to another service).
The German federation is investigating the legality of Fifa’s activities
When Fifa announced its new policy, the football associations of England, Wales, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Holland and Switzerland said their players and coaches were disappointed.
– We are really disappointed by Fifa’s decision. We think it’s unprecedented. We wrote to Fifa in September and informed them of our desire to use the Onelove strip to actively support diversity in football. We didn’t get any answers.
However, the federations urged their players not to wear the OneLove tape, so as not to jeopardize their sporting success.
Before the tournament, Qatar spoke sympathetically about the fact that all people are welcome to the games regardless of sexual orientation, gender and religion. The OneLove captain’s armband would not have been a new thing, as they were already seen at the European Championships.
Now the German Football Association has announced that it will investigate the legality of Fifa’s actions in the captain’s armband matter.
Twists and turns of the rainbow controversy
The race organizers have assured in the media that they are tolerant and hospitable.
– Everyone is welcome here and everyone feels safe here. Qatar is a tolerant country. It is a hospitable country, listed the head of the competition organization Nasser Al Khater to CNN (you will switch to another service).
When Fifa banned OneLove captain’s armbands, Qatar announced According to CNN (you’ll go to another service) the decision is between Fifa and the teams. Spokesman Fatma Al Nuaimi reiterated that “everyone is welcome regardless of orientation” and stated that Qatar has nothing to comment on the matter because “everything that happens on the field is a matter for Fifa”.
US reporter Grant Wahl said he was denied entry to the stadium for the USA-Wales match because his shirt had a rainbow symbol on it. According to The Guardian, Wahl explained that he was detained for 25 minutes and was required to change his shirt because it was political, according to law enforcement.
After 25 minutes, a security officer arrived and apologized, Wahl reported. He finally made it to the stadium with his shirt on.
Former Wales Women’s National Team player Laura McAllister was on the other hand According to the BBC (you will switch to another service) going to the stadium in a rainbow hat. This was also forbidden by the orderlies.
– We were told it was a rule – I work in football, I work with Uefa so I know the rules – so I asked what rule it was about but we weren’t told.
McAllister had finally taken his hat off his head, but had taken it into the stadium. He emphasized that Fifa had said it would allow the symbol in the stadium.
– This was against everything we have been allowed to expect. If Fifa demands inclusivity, we have to include everyone. I’m experienced enough to survive, but if it was a young person who wasn’t prepared, it would have been a very unpleasant and scary experience, McAllister commented on the episode.
On Tuesday, we also received news that the retail chain Rewe has decided to withdraw from its cooperation with the German Football Association. The decision is related to the fact that the federations decided to withdraw from the OneLove captain’s armbands.
– We are for diversity and football is also diverse. We defend it, CEO of Rewe Lionel Souque commented according to Reuters.
– Fifa’s scandalous attitude is completely unacceptable.
Former Prime Minister of Denmark Helle Thorning-Schmidt arrived as Denmark and Tunisia to the World Cup match in an outfit with rainbow colors on the sleeves. This time also Fifa shared on their website (you will go to another service) pictures with the president of Fifa Gianni Infantino talking to a Dane.
NRK’s expert Jan Petter Saltvedt comment (you will switch to another service) being extremely frustrated with the situation.
– This is related to a series of strange demonstrations in which the organizers, with the support of Fifa, have decided to participate. The World Cup becomes a kind of prison that you can only enter in the prescribed prison uniforms. Even completely innocent symbols, which we consider the basis of human rights, are not allowed, Saltvedt wondered.