FIFA mulls backflip on controversial World Cup ban

1 year ago 70

FIFA president Gianni Infantino says the governing assemblage volition reconsider its stance connected OneLove armbands up of the Women's World Cup.

Infantino's comments travel aft the captains of 7 European teams planned to deterioration the rainbow ornament during past year's men's World Cup successful protestation of big federation Qatar's laws against homosexuality.

However, the campaign was soon abandoned aft FIFA threatened players with "sporting sanctions" arsenic the armbands had not been approved nether the World Cup tourney regulations.

Asked astir the OneLove armbands pursuing a gathering of the International Football Association board, Infantino promised to "have a presumption successful spot good before" Australia and New Zealand co-host the women's tourney successful July.

"What I tin accidental connected this contented is I deliberation we each went done a learning process determination [at the Qatar World Cup]," helium said.

"What we volition effort to bash amended this clip is to hunt and look for dialog with everyone progressive – the captains, the federations, the players generally, FIFA – from each implicit the satellite to seizure the antithetic sensitivities, to explain, to exchange, and to spot what tin beryllium done successful bid to explicit a position, a worth oregon a feeling that idiosyncratic has without hurting anyone else.

"In a affirmative way, we are looking for a dialog and we volition person a presumption successful spot good earlier the Women's World Cup, I anticipation so."

England skipper Leah Williamson has antecedently voiced her tendency to don the armband during her side's World Cup run Down Under.

Williamson antecedently wore a OneLove armband portion playing for England successful the Arnold Clark Cup, a tourney not organised by FIFA.

Last week, some Australia and New Zealand's shot associations reportedly questioned FIFA's program to person Saudi Arabia's tourism limb sponsor the Women's World Cup.

Similar to Qatar, Saudi Arabia's restrictive presumption connected rights for women and LGBTQ+ groups has been heavy criticised by quality rights groups.

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