PHOTO: Bildbyrån
Fifa’s ban on banning the “One Love” captain’s armbands has, as you know, been a big hit.
Now the Swedish Football Association has also joined the debate.
– It is an own goal of a rarely seen kind, says the association’s chairman Karl-Erik Nilsson to Expressen.
It has been on the news for several days, the reactions to Fifa’s decision to ban the rainbow colored captain’s armbands with the message “One Love” have been many. Seven nations had previously planned to use the binders, but all backed out earlier in the week.
Swedish criticism
The reason behind it is Fifa’s threat of sporting reprimands – which led to both the German and Danish confederations directing sharp criticism towards Fifa and its president Gianni Infantino.
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Now, even from the Swedish side, they have sided with the critics.
– We are just as upset as the seven nations that have been affected. We think that Fifa has made it very, very difficult for those who do not accept these bracelets, which have such strong values and send fine signals that you should be allowed to love whoever you want. I can’t understand it. It is incomprehensible. It is an own goal of a rarely seen kind that the Fifa management has made in this matter, says the president of the Swedish Football Association Karl-Erik Nilsson to the newspaper Expressen.
“Borders that must not be crossed”
The Danish and German confederations have announced that they will not support Infantino in the re-election that will take place in the spring of 2023, but from the Swedish side they have previously said that they are open to supporting him. However, the events surrounding the WC leave a lot to be desired.
– Of course, our trust is affected by this. If you look at what has happened in recent days, one of our requirements in order to consider support at all was better relations between the European member nations and Fifa. This decision goes in the wrong direction in that regard. We must follow this.
– There is a big difference in our opinion today, based on how this issue has been handled. Of course it is. We support our friends in these countries who have been affected, says Nilsson.
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According to Expressen, Denmark has even discussed withdrawing from Fifa together with its Nordic partner countries.
– I have not been involved in such discussions. I interpret Jesper Moller (Denmark’s confederation chairman) as if he wants to raise a discussion about that issue. We are of course prepared to address it and all current issues. I understood that he was talking about a possible scenario if relations with Fifa do not improve. There are always boundaries that must not be crossed, but we simply must return. They are in full swing playing in Qatar.