Seven federations announced on Monday that their teams finally renounced to wear it. FIFA has drawn its own armbands, preferable in its eyes to a frontal criticism of the Qatari authorities, castigated in particular on the question of human rights, and in particular those of LGBTQ+.
MO12345LEMOND With AFP
It is a small piece of fabric with colored bands, supposed to symbolize diversity and inclusion, which has been at the heart of the debate for a few days in Qatar. England, Wales, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland announced Monday, November 21, the day after the World Cup they renounced what their respective captain Carries the “One Love” armband in the face of the threat of “sports” of FIFA.
Initially part of the “One Love” initiative, France had already announced by the voice of her captain Hugo Lloris that she would not wear the armband.
“FIFA has been very clear, it will impose sports sanctions if our captains carry the armbands on the field. As national federations, we cannot ask our players to risk sports, including boxes Yellows “, wrote these seven federations in a common press release .
“We were ready to pay fines applicable in the event of non-compliance with the rules on equipment and were very committed around this armband. But we cannot put our players in the situation where they could be notified, or even Obliged to leave the field “(in the event of a second yellow card), argue the seven federations.
The decision was made only a few hours before the Englishman Harry Kane, the Dutchman Virgil Van Dijk and the Galois Gareth Bale did their entry on the lawn on Monday.
FIFA draws his own Brassards
The “One Love” campaign has been launched in the Netherlands and has a multicolored heart to promote inclusion and diversity in football and society.
A few days before the start of the World Cup, several captains of selections had announced that they would carry these armbands to recall their attachment to human rights. An initiative not really to the taste of FIFA, which preferred to draw on Saturday, on the eve of the start of the competition, its own armbands, with a list of more consensual slogans among which the captains are likely to draw: “Save the planet” , “Education for all” or “no to discrimination”.
This is what the president of FIFA, Gianni Infantino, called “world causes”, preferable in his eyes to a frontal criticism of the Qatari authorities, castigated in particular on the question of human rights and in particular those of LGBTQ +people, while homosexuality and sexual relations are criminalized in Qatar.
“We have put a regulation on the armbands and they will be provided by FIFA. We must find subjects on which everyone can commit,” insisted Gianni Infantino. According to the proceedings, it is a question of “relaying positive messages”, in connection with three agencies of the United Nations.
no brassard “one love” for lloris
Hugo Lloris, captain of the French world champions who are starting on Tuesday against Australia, announced from last week that he did not intend to wear the “One Love” armband. “I prefer to stay in my context, that of player,” said the captain of the Blues on Monday, questioned about his choice. “FIFA organizes competition, defines a framework, rules. We, players, what we are asked to play football, to best represent our countries sportingly,” argued Hugo Lloris at a press conference . “There are different causes which are laudable, which must be supported. But FIFA decides the organization,” added the porter.
Since its appointment to organize the event in 2010, Qatar has been lounge to strong criticism, which have further intensified as the event approaches, in particular on human rights, especially those of LGBTQ people + and migrant workers, including those who have worked on World Cup construction sites.