Following a threat from FIFA to discipline players on the field, teams from the FIFA World Cup were pressured to relent in their use of the One Love armband, know the campaign meaning
They were also asked to end their anti-discrimination campaign against the host country, Qatar, on Monday.
FIFA Qatar World Cup 2022 One Love Campaign And Armband Meaning, Countries And Controversy Explained
What is the OneLove Campaign?
The captains of seven European nations will not wear armbands during games in support of the “One Love” campaign as a result of FIFA’s announcement that players would be given yellow cards. The decision was made three days after the Qatari government abruptly outlawed beer sales in stadiums. The decision was also a result of two days after FIFA President Gianni Infantino launched into an astonishing tirade in support of the host nation’s human rights record.
A few hours before England’s Harry Kane, the Netherlands’ Virgil van Dijk, and Wales’ Gareth Bale were slated to wear the armbands for Monday’s games, FIFA threatened to take action. The captains of Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, and Denmark also vowed to don the armbands during the coming days.
The One Love Campaign Armbands
The Netherlands-based OneLove campaign employs a heart-shaped, multicoloured design as its official insignia in an effort to promote inclusion and diversity in both soccer and society. The OneLove initiative intends to use soccer’s influence to promote inclusivity and spread a message opposing all forms of bigotry.
The armbands feature a heart with colours that represent people from different backgrounds. “We stand united against all forms of discrimination, and it is amazing to see the world support the OneLove campaign. We are aware that the entire world will be watching us, and this campaign highlights the fact that every football player shares a common bond with the game: a passion for it.” The captain of the Cyrmu Gareth Bale said in an interview, “by banding together, we can send a clear statement that we are opposed to all forms of exclusion and discrimination.”
Official Statement
The decision was explained in the joint statement, which was issued only hours before England’s opening 2022 World Cup group match against Iran was scheduled to begin. FIFA’s disciplinary action was stated as the justification for the move.
The statement stressed that “FIFA has made quite clear that it would apply sporting consequences if our captains wear the armbands on the field of play.” This was done even though they had previously stated that they were ready to pay fines. The statement concluded by saying, “We cannot put our players in a position where they are risking getting a ticket or probably having to leave the field of play.”
There is #NoPrideWithoutAll. We can’t emphasise that enough. While the decision to not wear the #OneLove armband has been damaging, it’s not surprising.
We’ll say this time and time again: this World Cup is not for all, it has never been for all.
— Pride in Football 🏳️🌈⚽️ (@prideinfootball) November 21, 2022
This is not ok!
Players shouldn’t be sanctioned for showing support of inclusion in the sport.
It’s time for the FA to support their players beyond the constraints of FIFA as well as the wider groups being impacted by this World Cup. https://t.co/PK8yu8BBD2
— Thomas Hal Robson-Kanu (@RobsonKanu) November 21, 2022
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