Football Australia’s chief executive, James Johnson, expressed his disappointment at governing body FIFA’s decision not to allow rainbow armbands at the Women’s World Cup, saying the armband options “did not go as far” as the players had hoped.
Last month, FIFA approved eight armbands for captains that could be worn at the World Cup, which bear messages ranging from promoting gender equality, inclusion and peace to tackling domestic violence. But the options did not include the rainbow armband, which is worn in support of LGBTQ rights.
FIFA has confirmed that players wearing the rainbow armbands would face on-field sanctions, such as receiving a yellow card, as at the men’s World Cup in Qatar last year.
“Rainbow armbands – we were at the table for that discussion, with countries like England, Sweden, the Netherlands,” the Guardian newspaper quoted Johnson as saying in Brisbane on Monday.
“It was important to us and we wanted to solve the issue before it became an issue because we know there were issues as the World Cup in Qatar was kicking off.
“We welcome the framework that FIFA has put in place because it’s broad and it allows players to select an issue that they care about. On the other hand, though, we do acknowledge that they didn’t go as far and specifically focus on LGBTQ.”
Johnson’s comments came after Australia skipper, Sam Kerr, said co-hosts Australia will not risk wearing “One Love” armbands in support of LGBTQ rights at the tournament, adding that she is confident there will be multiple opportunities to use her voice.
“We do have to recognize that there was a movement made since the last World Cup and we welcome that,” he added.
“I think where the conversation started to where it ended, there was definitely an improvement. I think we’ve landed in a place that’s acceptable, but having said that it didn’t go as far as what we would have liked.”
Armbands
At last year’s Qatar World Cup, seven major European teams, including England and Germany, had planned to allow their captains to wear the “One Love” armband to protest Qatar’s laws against same-sex relationships, but they backed off after FIFA threatened to issue yellow cards against players.
FIFA has said that the themes of the armbands for the Women’s World Cup were picked after consultation with all the participating teams, players and United Nations agencies.
The messages on the armbands are: Unite for Inclusion, Unite for Indigenous Peoples, Unite for Gender Equality, Unite for Peace, Unite for Education for All, Unite for Zero, Unite for Ending Violence Against Women and Football is Joy, Peace, Love, Hope and Passion.
The messages will also be promoted on pitch-side digital advertising boards, flags presented on the pitch, giant screens in stadiums and on social media.
“Football unites the world, and our global events, such as the FIFA Women’s World Cup, have a unique power to bring people together and provide joy, excitement and passion. But football does even more than that – it can shine the spotlight on very important causes in our society,” FIFA president Gianni Infantino said, according to a FIFA statement last month.
“After some very open talks with stakeholders, including member associations and players, we have decided to highlight a series of social causes – from inclusion to gender equality, from peace to ending hunger, from education to tackling domestic violence – during all 64 matches at the FIFA Women’s World Cup.”
The Women’s World Cup will begin on Thursday and end on August 20. It is the first edition to feature 32 teams, up from 24 in the previous two editions.
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