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The captains of England alongside six others, will not wear the 'OneLove' anti-discrimination armband in their World Cup opening games after confirmation that their captains would be given yellow cards if they took part in the initiative.

The announcement came just before their World Cup campaigns were scheduled to start. The national federations said they were prepared to pay a fine for their captains to wear the 'OneLove' armband, but once it became clear their captains would be sanctioned, they had to change plans.

The OneLove armbands has a heart containing colours representative of all backgrounds, which some FAs and Captians say was to promote diversity, inclusion and anti-discrimination, in Qatar - where same-sex relationships and the promotion of same-sex relationships are criminalised.

In an announcement weekend, FIFA launched its own rival armband and later threatened sanctions on any Captain who go ahead to put on the armband not prescribed by the World football's governing body: a yellow card for each game the captain or any player puts on the 'OneLove' armband.

In September, the Netherlands (who conceived the idea), Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, England and Wales. have said they will be putting on the "One Love armband" whether they face sanctions or not. As the tournament approached, France beat a retreat whilst Sweden and Norway did not qualify for the tournament.

In a joint statement: The Football Associations of these teams have instructed their captains to obey FIFA's directives.

STATEMENT: ONE LOVE ARMBAND

FIFA has been very clear that it will impose sporting sanctions if our captains wear the armbands on the field of play.

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.

We were prepared to pay fines that would normally apply to breaches of kit regulations and had a strong commitment to wearing the armband. However, we cannot put our players in the situation where they might be booked or even forced to leave the field of play.

We are very frustrated by the FIFA decision which we believe is unprecedented - we wrote to FIFA in September informing them of our wish to wear the One Love armband to actively support inclusion in football, and had no response.

Our players and coaches are disappointed – they are strong supporters of inclusion and will show support in other ways.

|SOURCE|

FIFA launched its own armband which will be worn at different stages of the Competition (Pictured). However, FIFA has now made some adjustments preferring the "No discrimination" armband be worn at Group Stages rather than the Q/finals so that all 32 teams will have the opportunity of doing so.

Following discussions, FIFA can confirm its No Discrimination campaign has been brought forward from the planned quarter-finals stage in order that all 32 captains will have the opportunity to wear this armband during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™.

This is in line with Article 13.8.1 of the FIFA Equipment Regulations, which state: “For FIFA Final Competitions, the captain of each Team must wear the captain’s armband provided by FIFA.”

The FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 regulations, as approved by everyone in the game, exist to preserve the integrity of the field of play for all participants and are equally applicable to all competing teams.

FIFA is an inclusive organisation that wants to put football to the benefit of society by supporting good and legitimate causes, but it has to be done within the framework of the competition regulations which are known to everyone.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has reiterated his support of the LGBTQI+ community during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.

“I have been speaking about this subject with the country’s highest leadership,” the FIFA President said. “They have confirmed, and I can confirm that everyone is welcome. If anyone says the opposite, well it’s not the opinion of the country and it’s certainly not the opinion of FIFA.”

Nonsense love bands.

Qatar get problem ooo, play normal match and forget gay stuffs.
MODIFIED: These four wey mention me don't even understand what I mean. If u don't understand me must u quote me.
Spicycat YoobaNesan Daguga LagosIsForIgbos.

I support FIFA on this one...

The same bloody hypocrites preaching “One Love” by wearing this armband are the same hypocrites practicing the opposite of what they preach.


FIFA sanction and deal decisively with any captain caught wearing this at the tournament.

These westerners a insane hypocrites. Where they trying to tell the whole world that is say it is legal to deal drugs in Qatar, citizens of Qatar can take drugs to England and the US, sell and use it in the name of human right?

You play stupid games, you win stupid prices. Enjoy your human right in your own country, don't bring it to another person's country.

What we need is non discrimination against race or color, not gays and lesbians.
I stand with FIFA. I stand with the Qatari government

They will not want to risk the wrath of FIfa.

When you are in Rome....you behave like Romans

Gutless athletes.

Muhammad Ali sacrificed three years of his career, his championship belt, millions of dollars, and risked spending five years in prison because of his convictions yet he was not moved.

These guys just wanted to act favourably in front of their moneybags and not because they really wanted to fight for the cause.

It would have been better if they had not publicly said they would wear it than say it and cowardly bow to FIFA.

They don't make men like Ali again. The man was of a kind.

Fear of yellow card

They should keep their useless band in their country... Respect other people right abeg

Qatar showing them if you have money you don't have to bow to other people's culture

Controversial WorldCup.

Qatar is right though!

HarlequinLekex:
Qatar get problem ooo, play normal match and forget gay stuffs.

Will you be happy if I smoke gbana in your house, if you are not a smoker?

It’s like straight folks are now the ones being discriminated against by the rainbow folk. Why would u think it’s okay to force ur way of life on someone who doesn’t live like that, is that not what u guys were fighting against?? Now it’s like they have become what they were against. Normal human beings don’t advertise their sexual preferences in public, that’s why there’s a parental advisory on tv programs! The emotional blackmail is enough abeg!

rottennaija:
These westerners a insane hypocrites.

Let's behave like the Arabs in Arab land.

Lol
Must they bring their rubbish every time to field
They want to impose gay and lesbian rights on Qatar, mad people.
The same Europeans and USA making noises about LGBT, will not allow Qatar and Co to fly Palestine flag or if someone right now to fly Russia nation flag.

Rubbish

No be only one love armband. You guys converted LGBT band calling it one love. Na one million love.

They just trying to force their gay shít down our throats and also crying for mercy at the same time.
#FvckThemUpQatar.

Inter3sting

HarlequinLekex:
Qatar get problem ooo, play normal match and forget gay stuffs.

Qatar has no time for nonsense. Keep your gay in your country n don't force it on anyone to recognize it.

LGBT lives matter. All lives matter. If you can't give life, why take it. At the end of the day, it's a promotion of human rights & true expose of hypocrisy.

Good, all these evil people that are forcing gay down our throats should go to hell

LagosIsForIgbos:
Will you be happy if I smoke gbana in your house, if you are not a smoker?

You are blessed

Mtcheww nonsense. Instead of concentrating on their football, they're concentrating on protesting.