England and Scotland’s players are to wear black armbands bearing the red poppy when they meet in a World Cup qualifier on Armstice Day, despite the threat of sanctions from FIFA.
The English and Scottish soccer associations had been negotiating with the world governing body, which bans political, commercial and religious symbols on team outfits during matches.
However, England’s Football Association (FA) on Wednesday said that the poppy represents an “appropriate tribute” to Britain’s war dead.
“The poppy is an important symbol of remembrance and we do not believe it represents a political, religious or commercial message, nor does it relate to any one historical event,” it said in a statement. “The FA intend to pay appropriate tribute to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice by having the England team wear black armbands bearing poppies in our fixture on Armistice Day.”
England are to play Scotland in a World Cup qualifier at Wembley on Friday next week, the day when Britain traditionally remembers its war dead.
Many Britons wear red poppies as a tribute to those who have died in conflicts that have involved the country.
The Scottish FA issued a similar statement to their English counterparts, saying the wearing of a poppy was “an appropriate tribute.”
“The Scotland national team [will] wear black armbands bearing poppies in our fixture against England on Armistice Day,” it said.
Earlier on Wednesday, British Prime Minister Theresa May branded as “outrageous” FIFA’s opposition to the gesture.
“It is utterly outrageous,” May said when asked about the matter in parliament. “Our football players want to recognize those who gave their lives for our security. It is absolutely right that they should be able to do so. A clear message is going from this house before they [FIFA] start telling us what to do they jolly well ought to sort their own house out.”
FIFA was linked with scandal that led to former FIFA president Sepp Blatter being ousted in December last year.
A new regime is now in place.
A FIFA statement issued on Wednesday reiterated their stance.
“FIFA fully respects the significance of commemorating Remembrance Day on November 11 each year,” it said. “The laws of the game are overseen by the International Football Association Board and applicable to all 211 member associations. The relevant Law 4, para. 4, clearly states that the players equipment should not carry any political, religious or commercial messages. The laws are applied uniformly in the event of similar requests by any member association to commemorate similar historical events.”
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