England, Wales and other European nations are in talks over whether to proceed with plans for captains to wear a OneLove armband at the World Cup in Qatar.
| Host nation: Qatar Dates: 20 November-18 December Coverage: Live on BBC TV, BBC iPlayer, BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru, BBC Sounds and the BBC Sport website and app. Day-by-day TV listings – Full coverage details |
The captains of nine nations, including England’s Harry Kane and Gareth Bale of Wales, had planned to wear the armband to promote diversity and inclusion.
But they have been warned by Fifa officials that wearing the armband would be a breach of its rules and risk a “sporting sanction” for captains, such as a booking.
With England due to kick off their World Cup campaign against Iran at 13:00 GMT on Monday, it remains unclear whether the Football Association (FA) will drop its plans for Kane to wear the armband.
This week, chief executive Mark Bullingham told BBC Sport that the FA was willing to take a fine, but the feeling within the governing body is that the prospect of a booking and suspension has put players in an impossible position.
Noel Mooney, the Football Association of Wales chief executive, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Monday it was “seeking clarifications” from Fifa.
“We want to do it, but the issue is in discussion,” said Mooney, before Wales’ opener against the United States at 19:00.
On Saturday, Fifa launched its own armband initiative in partnership with three United Nations agencies.
The armbands will feature a different social campaign throughout each round, including #NoDiscrimination, #SaveThePlanet, #ProtectChildren, #EducationForAll and #BeActive.
The Netherlands began the OneLove campaign before Euro 2020 as a message against discrimination.
Same-sex relationships and the promotion of same-sex relationships are criminalised in Qatar.
On Saturday, Fifa president Gianni Infantino accused the West of “hypocrisy” in its reporting about Qatar’s human rights record.
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