FIFA demands to remove ‘love’ from World Cup shirt – RT Sport News
The move comes just hours before Belgium kick off their campaign in Qatar on Wednesday.
FIFA has told the Royal Belgian Football Association that it must remove the word ‘love’ from the collar of the team’s away shirt, a move that comes with a request from world football’s governing body that various European teams are abandoning their decision to wear a “OneLove” rainbow armband aimed at promoting non-discrimination issues throughout the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
The request transmitted by FIFA comes as Belgium prepare for their World Cup opener on Wednesday against Canada.
According to ESPN, FIFA have refused to engage in a dialogue with Belgian football figures over the matter – with the outlet stating that the Belgian FA have not yet decided whether they will honor FIFA’s request.
Belgium are not allowed to play with their colored warm-up jersey and they must cover the word “love” on their white jersey. FIFA completely lost it. pic.twitter.com/XAmVF7OVyj
—Gryffix (@Gryffix) November 21, 2022
The situation also presents a logistical problem for Belgium, given that the word is sewn into the collar of the team’s second stripe and would require its kit supplier, Adidas, to send a replacement jersey to Qatar.
The design, however, is not tied to the ‘OneLove’ campaign that garnered so much media attention in the days leading up to the World Cup kicking off, but rather a collaboration with the popular music festival Tomorrowland dance club, the jersey having been on sale for several months in Belgium.
It’s still unclear what sanctions FIFA could impose should Belgium consider wearing the shirt in their first World Cup game.
The impasse comes on the heels of the growing ‘OneLove’ armband scandal which prompted FIFA to inform several teams, including England, that players who wear unofficial clothing during the tournament could potentially be issued a yellow card. by officials.
FIFPRO, the global union that represents footballers, denounced FIFA in a statement this week saying players wishing to wear rainbow-themed armbands are not necessarily making political statements.
“Players must have the right to voice their support for human rights on and off the pitch and we will support anyone who uses their own platforms to do so.,” this said.
“We argue that a rainbow flag is not a political statement but an endorsement of equality and therefore a universal human right.”
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