This should, but won’t, kill the debate stone dead.
Conor McNamara from the BBC clearly points out why wearing the poppy is a personal, rather than political, statement and why that is clearly in conflict with FIFA’s laws.
This comes on the same day that football’s world governing body charged the FAI over the 1916 centenary jersey worn by Ireland’s team for the friendly against Switzerland last March.
The FAs of both England and Scotland have chosen to defy a ban on players wearing poppies when they clash in a World Cup qualifier on Armistice Day, November 11.
https://twitter.com/ConorMcNamaraIE/status/794091795852525568?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
A section of the laws of the game made up by the International Football Association Board (IAFB) and upheld by FIFA reads: “Equipment must not have any political, religious or personal slogans, statements or images.
“Players must not reveal undergarments that show political, religious, personal slogans, statements or images, or advertising other than the manufacturer’s logo.
“For any infringement the player and/or the team will be sanctioned by the competition organiser, national football association or to be justified by FIFA.”
After FIFA declared that both FAs could face sanction for their stance on the wearing of the poppy, Damian Collins MP, chairman of the Commons’ Culture, Media and Sport select committee, referenced Ireland’s 1916 commemorative jerseys worn against Switzerland in March and said he had called on Fifa to “clarify the issue”.
“That appears to be an absolutely classic example of leniency being shown to other countries,” Collins said.
