Keypoint
In a joint statement, the European teams said, “We are very upset by FIFA’s decision, which we think is unprecedented.” They also said they would find other ways to show their support for inclusion.
FIFA has spoken out in defense of Qatar when it has been criticized. It turned down the “OneLove” campaign and instead promoted its own “No Discrimination” campaign with different armbands.
Qatar, a small, religiously conservative, gas-rich sheikhdom in the Gulf, won the right to host the World Cup in 2010. This was controversial from the start.
The European teams competing in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar have changed their minds about wearing “OneLove” armbands to support LGBTQ rights. They announced this on Monday, after being warned by FIFA that they would be punished if they did so.
The captains of the teams from England, Wales, Germany, Denmark, Belgium, Switzerland, and the Netherlands, which are competing in the World Cup, made the announcement about the rainbow armbands, which are meant to show support for diversity and inclusion.
Just hours before the games started, FIFA made a move that had never been done before: it said that any player who wore the armband would get a yellow card. When a player gets two yellow cards during a game, he or she is kicked off the field.
“FIFA has made it very clear that there will be sports penalties if our captains wear the armbands on the field of play,” the soccer associations of the two countries said in a joint statement. “As national federations, we can’t put our players in a position where they could get penalized, so we’ve asked the captains not to try to wear the armbands in FIFA World Cup games.”
“We were willing to pay fines that would normally be given for breaking rules about uniforms, and we were very determined to wear the armband,” the statement said. “However, we can’t put our players in a position where they might get a ticket or even have to leave the field of play.” On Monday, all of the teams from England, Wales, and the Netherlands were set to play.
“We are very upset by FIFA’s decision, which we think is unprecedented,” the teams said in a joint statement. They also said they would find other ways to show their support for inclusion.
Soccer Football: A Look Ahead to the FIFA World Cup in Qatar in 2022, Doha, Qatar, November 18, 2022 Fans from Qatar are shown before the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
A picture of Qatari fans taken on November 18, 2022, before the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Marko Djurica | Reuters
Qatar, a small, religiously conservative, gas-rich sheikhdom in the Gulf, won the right to host the World Cup in 2010. This was controversial from the start.
At the time, the country didn’t have the right infrastructure and capacity for such a tournament. Critics also raised concerns about the country’s record on human rights, especially for migrant workers and the LGBTQ community. Homosexuality is a crime in Qatar, as it is in most of the Muslim world. If two men are caught having sexual relations with each other, they could go to prison for a long time or even be killed.
FIFA, which has spoken out in support of Qatar on these issues, turned down the “OneLove” campaign in favor of its own “No Discrimination” campaign, which has different armbands.
“FIFA is an inclusive organization that wants to use football to help society by supporting good and legal causes,” FIFA said in a statement on Monday. “However, this must be done within the competition rules, which everyone knows.”
FIFA President Gianni Infantino (2ndR) and Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman al-Saud at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group A match between Qatar and Ecuador at Al Bayt Stadium on November 20, 2022 in Al Khor, Qatar.
During the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group A meeting, FIFA President Gianni Infantino (second from right) and Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman al-Saud shook hands. On November 20, 2022, Qatar will play Ecuador at Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor, Qatar.
Amin Mohammad Jamali | Getty Images | Sports | Getty Images
“FIFA can confirm that its No Discrimination campaign has been moved up from the quarter-finals to the group stage so that all 32 captains can wear this armband at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.”
It also said that Gianni Infantino, the organization’s president, supported the LGBTQ community.
The statement said, “FIFA President Gianni Infantino has said again that he will support the LGBTQI+ community during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.”
The article then quoted Infantino as saying, “I’ve been talking about this with the most powerful people in the country. They have said that they will be there, and I can say that everyone is welcome. If someone says the opposite, it’s not the country’s opinion and it’s definitely not FIFA’s opinion.”