England & Scotland
FAs to defy poppy ban despite Fifa sanction threat
The FAs will let players
wear black armbands with poppy emblems and are willing to accept any
punishment.
Fifa general secretary Fatma Samba Diouf Samoura told BBC Sport
"any kind of sanction" could follow.
World football's governing body prohibits political, religious
or commercial messages on shirts.
UK Prime Minister Theresa May has called the rule "outrageous".
English FA chief executive Martin Glenn
told BBC Sport that players from both sides would wear black armbands carrying
the poppy symbol - traditionally used to remember those who died during World
War One - "as a point of principle".
The SFA also confirmed it "intends to
pay appropriate tribute by having the Scotland national team wear black
armbands bearing poppies".
England play Scotland at Wembley on 11
November in a World Cup 2018 qualifier.
The Football Association of Wales has also
written to Fifa requesting permission to wear poppies on armbands during their
game against Serbia in Cardiff on 12 November but has not yet committed to defying the ban.
However, Glenn said: "We are standing
shoulder to shoulder with the other home nations on this, we all feel very
strongly. It's not a political symbol and I think most people would agree with
us."
A points deduction could be one option open
to Fifa should it decide to punish the FAs for flouting its ban, but Glenn does
not believe it will come to that.
He explained: "We don't think we are
breaking their law - we think they are misinterpreting it. I'm confident it
won't come to anything draconian.
"
When the issue arose in 2011, a compromise
was reached in which players were allowed to wear armbands with the poppy
symbol.
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The FAs of England and Scotland had asked
Fifa for permission to do the same next week, but have been told that would
breach the laws of the game.
Both FAs say they are continuing to
negotiate with Fifa and are hopeful of finding an amicable solution, but
Samoura questioned why an exception should be made for England, Scotland and
Wales.
"We have to apply uniformly and across
the 211 member associations the laws of the game," she said.
"Britain is not the only country that
has been suffering from the result of war. The only question is why are we
doing exceptions for just one country and not the rest of the world?"
Asked if the teams could be punished for
defying the ban, she said: "It is not really my ambition to punish
anybody.
"They just have to recognise
themselves that they are part of the rules of the game and they should be ready
to face any kind of sanctions or measures."
She added any potential punishment could
depend on whether a complaint is made.
What
has been the response?
A petition urging Fifa not to uphold the
ban has attracted more than a quarter of a million signatories.
Earlier on Wednesday, the issue was raised
in Parliament.
"Before they start telling us what to
do, they jolly well ought to sort their own house out," said Mrs May,
citing the recent Fifa corruption claims which have seen dozens of former
officials prosecuted or banned from the sport.
"Our football players want to
recognise and respect those who have given their lives for our safety and
security. It is absolutely right they should be able to do so."
Speaking at Prime Minister's Questions, Mrs
May said the wearing of poppies was a matter for the English and Scottish
football associations to resolve, but there was a "clear message"
from the House of Commons that "we want our players to be able to wear
those poppies".
What
do the rules say?
The International Football Association
Board (Ifab) - made up of the four British FAs and Fifa - is responsible for
formulating the laws of the game, which are then
upheld by Fifa.
The laws cover everything from the field of
play to the equipment used and how the result of a game is determined.
A section of law four, which deals
specifically with players' equipment, reads: "Equipment must not have any
political, religious or personal slogans, statements or images.
"Players must not reveal undergarments
that show political, religious, personal slogans, statements or images, or
advertising other than the manufacturer's logo.
"For any infringement the player
and/or the team will be sanctioned by the competition organiser, national
football association or to be justified by Fifa."
It does not specify what the sanctions are
for breaching those rules.
Are
other countries shown leniency?
Fifa has been accused of double standards
after it emerged Republic of Ireland players wore a political symbol on their
shirts in a friendly against Switzerlandon 25 March to
mark the centenary of the Easter Rising.
Damian Collins MP, chairman of the Commons'
Culture, Media and Sport select committee, said he had called on Fifa to
"clarify the issue".
The Easter Rising was
an Irish rebellion against British rule, which lasted from 24 to 29 April 1916
and resulted in 485 deaths.
"That appears to be an absolutely
classic example of leniency being shown to other countries," Collins said.
Can
Fifa still change its mind?
The Ifab meets on Thursday, where the
Scottish and English FA chiefs Stewart Regan and Glenn have said they will be
hoping to convince officials to allow players to wear poppies. FAW chief
executive Jonathan Ford will also be at the meeting.
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FA chairman Greg Clarke told ITV News that
English football's governing body was "negotiating in good faith with Fifa
to try and find a solution".
"My personal opinion, and that as
chair of the FA, is that of course we should wear poppies," said Clarke.
"That is our plan. There will be
poppies at Wembley."
Former Culture, Media and Sport Secretary
John Whittingdale MP said the England team should wear poppies - even if a
points deduction is possible.
Speaking to BBC Radio 5 live's Emma
Barnett, he said: "For [Fifa] to try and brand the poppy as a political symbol
shows a total misunderstanding.
"There are a number of reasons why we
are already profoundly unhappy with Fifa's behaviour and conduct and this adds
to that list."
A motion has been lodged at the Scottish
Parliament calling for Fifa's poppy ban to be scrapped.
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