FIFA has come under massive pressure on Wednesday from various European soccer federations who wish to have their captains wear an armband with a rainbow heart design during the World Cup Games in Qatar.
France and Germany, who previously won the World Cup, were among eight of the 13 European soccer teams going to Qatar joining in on the ‘One Love’ campaign.
The movement started in the Netherlands, with the Dutch team playing Qatar in Group A on November 29th. However, FIFA rules prohibit teams from bringing their own armband designs to the World Cup.
FIFA insists that they must use equipment provided by the governing body. Despite this, armbands have become the next attempt at players attempting to carry a message to the games.
In Qatar, homosexuality is illegal and the treatment of migrant workers building projects for the tournament has been deemed a controversy.
“Wearing the armband together on behalf of our teams will send a clear message when the world is watching,” England captain Harry Kane said in a statement.
FIFA supported ‘taking a knee’ and now has to decide whether to back some of its most influential member federations in a gesture that could be immensely controversial in Qatar.
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