Doha: After the 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 arm band.
The German team posed for a photo with their mouths covered before 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 arm band next to FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
The German Football Federation also tweeted that the armband ban was tantamount to banning their right to free speech.
European teams decided to take to the field wearing rainbow-colored One Love 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, Netherlands, Switzerland and Wales had planned to send their team captains wearing ‘One Love’ armbands in the matches of the Qatar World Cup. But when FIFA tightened its position that it will take measures including ban and showing yellow cards against those who enter the field in this way, the European teams were forced to back down from the decision.
According to FIFA rules, players who enter the field wearing a kit not approved by the football governing body will receive an immediate yellow card. If you see one more yellow card during the match, you will get a marching order.