FIFA WORLD CUP: German team in ‘censorship’ photo gesture before kickoff
KEIR RADNEDGE in DOHA: Germany’s players demonstrated their anger over the OneLove armband controversy in lining up for the team photo before kickoff against Japan in the Khalifa International Stadium in World Cup Group E.
Each of the 11 players, led by skipper Manuel Neuer, placed a hand across his mouth in a gesture stating their explicit disgust as what they perceived obviously as censorship by FIFA.
The world football federation had stepped in late on Sunday to threaten seven European nations with an unspecified sporting sanction were their captains to breach kit regulations by wearing the anti-discrimination band.
A German federation spokesman had described FIFA’s intervention as “blackmail” and indicated that the DFB might take the issue to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. The players then took the matter into their hands literally with the team photo gesture.
The picture will live on in the media’s digital archives, to be unearthed and haunt FIFA as illustration for any similar such controversy in the future.
Shortly before kickoff a statement appeared on the DFB Twitter account saying: “Through our captain’s armband, we wanted to set an example for values that we live by in the national team: diversity and mutual respect.
“It’s not about a political message: human rights are non-negotiable. That should go without saying but unfortunately it still isn’t. That’s why this message is so important to us. Forbidding us to wear the armband is like shutting our mouths. Our position stands.”
Election contention
The German federation has said it will not vote for Gianni Infantino when he stands for re-election as FIFA president next spring. Infantino is assured of staying in power because he is unopposed.
Denmark has also indicated it will refuse to endorse Infantino.
The Danish federation’s president Jesper Moller, who is a member of the European federation’s executive committee, has said that the DBU even has reservations about remaining within FIFA membership.
Denmark annoyed FIFA and Qatar with a team jersey design that drew attention to concern about the host nation’s record on human rights and treatment of migrant workers. The team has a third option of a black jersey, chosen as the “color of mourning” for laborers who have died in Qatar.
At Denmark’s opening game on Tuesday the former Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt wore a rainbow armband in protest against Qatar’s stance on LGBTQ rights.
###########
