Doha: After Iranian players protested without singing the national anthem, the Qatar World Cup became the stage for yet another protest. The German team covered their mouths in protest against FIFA’s stance against wearing the One Love armband.
The German team posed for a photo with their mouths covered before the kick-off against Japan at the Khalifa Stadium in Qatar on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, German Interior Minister Nancy Fesser watched the match wearing a One Love armband next to FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
The German Football Federation also tweeted that the armband ban is tantamount to banning their right to freedom of speech.
European teams decided to take to the pitch wearing One Love rainbow colored armbands to protest Qatar’s stance towards the LGBTQ community. Homosexuality is illegal in Qatar. Seven European countries decided to wear ‘One Love’ armbands at the Qatar World Cup. The football federations of England, Germany, Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Wales had planned to send their team captains wearing ‘One Love’ armbands at the Qatar World Cup matches. But when FIFA tightened its stance that it will take measures including a ban and showing yellow cards against those who enter the pitch in this way, the European teams had to withdraw from the decision.
According to FIFA rules, players who enter the pitch wearing a kit that has not been approved by football’s governing body will receive an immediate yellow card. If you see one more yellow card during the game, you will be given a marching order.
