The executive director of FA, Mark Bullingham, he is angry. The FIFA they were told before the opening game of the World Cup against Iran on Monday that they would not be able to wear rainbow bracelets or face severe punishment.
England captain Harry Kane was also upset that he was unable to wear the armband against Iran or the United States on Friday after hearing the punishment could have been worse than a yellow card or a fine.
Bullingham said the FA was “disappointed and angry” at the way FIFA had intervened “differently”. He told ITV Sport: “It was clear to us that we wanted to take it and we were committed. We announced we were going to take it in September, we had a lot of meetings with FIFA during that time and on Saturday, before the game, we felt we had agreed . No, we have permission, but we will face the fine”.
But the issue did not end there: “Unfortunately, on the day of the game they told us two hours before … They came here with five referees and told us that, at least, anyone wearing an armband is will face unlimited disciplinary measures. . It’s not just about a fine or a card but they can deduct points”.
Asked to describe FIFA’s behaviour, he said: “The sentiment level is very high. We are disappointed, we are angry, we thought the way it was handled was outrageous.” “We wanted to show our support for the LGTBI community and we couldn’t do it.”
“We can’t put the players in that position. Many of them have dreamed of playing in the World Cup since they were young. And suddenly they can’t take part…”
Source: La Verdad
I’m Rose Herman and I work as an author for Today Times Live. My expertise lies in writing about sports, a passion of mine that has been with me since childhood. As part of my job, I provide comprehensive coverage on everything from football to tennis to golf.
