Why doesn't FIFA just shove it.

[AmexRuislip]

Just wear them, sod FIFA.

England, Scotland & Wales in talks with Fifa over wearing poppies on shirts.

England are playing Scotland at Wembley for the first time since August 2013England, Scotland and Wales are in talks with world governing body Fifa over whether players can wear poppies on their shirts to mark Armistice Day.
England play Scotland at Wembley on 11 November in a World Cup qualifier, before Wales face Serbia at the Cardiff City Stadium the following evening.
Fifa bans political, religious or commercial messages on shirts.
The Football Associations of England, Scotland and Wales want to know the potential punishments.
The ultimate sanction is a points deduction, but Fifa has not indicated whether that would be under consideration.

• From the archive: Why do people wear poppies?

One solution could be players wearing a poppy on an armband.
That compromise was brokered for England's 1-0 friendly win over Spain at Wembley on 12 November 2011.
England's match with Scotland takes place on Armistice Day, when commemorations take place across the United Kingdom to remember the nation's war dead.
An FA spokesman said: "We are working closely with the Royal British Legion once again this year to honour and remember the sacrifices made by those serving in the armed forces.
"In recent weeks, the FA has led remembrance discussions with Fifa to allow the England team to show its support for the Poppy Appeal during the World Cup qualifier with Scotland."
BBC Sports news correspondent Richard Conway says it is believed the new Fifa administration, under president Gianni Infantino, is "more sensitive" to such issues than was the case under Sepp Blatter and that the expectation in Zurich is that a "rapid solution" will be found.

 

[jakarta]

Wearing a Poppy is not a political statement. Nor is it a religious statement. And there is no 'commercial message' as the RBL are a Charity.

So that's all 3 criteria not met. FIFA can Do One.

 

[beorhthelm]

i agree with FIFA on this, theres a very simple and easy to follow rule - nothing on the shirts. it is a political statement, or one that can be construed as one, otherwise we wouldn't be discussing it. if FIFA allow this, they what other national/regional commemorations or celebrations should they allow?

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

i agree with FIFA on this, theres a very simple and easy to follow rule - nothing on the shirts. it is a political statement, or one that can be construed as one, otherwise we wouldn't be discussing it. if FIFA allow this, they what other national/regional commemorations or celebrations should they allow?

I agree with this.

The FA/Scottish FA can mark the day in a Thousand different ways in and around the stadium.

 

[BensGrandad]

I agree with this.

The FA/Scottish FA can mark the day in a Thousand different ways in and around the stadium.

Just a suggestion like at the Royal Albert Hall everybody attending buy a poppy and throw them in the air at the end of the game. The benefit is that with a minutes pre match silence the moment will be observed and the RBL will get extra sales from those who wish to remember. I know the audience dont buy the poppies at the Royal Albert Hall and there is one dropped for each life lost. but the principle is the same.

 

[jakarta]

it is a political statement, or one that can be construed as one, otherwise we wouldn't be discussing it.

I'm interested in what sort of political statement you think wearing a poppy conveys?

 

[Official Old Man]

History in the making, I sadly agree with FIFA. Black arm bands can be worn.

 

[beorhthelm]

I'm interested in what sort of political statement you think wearing a poppy conveys?

ask those that advocate a white poppy, or those that kick off about some footballer/politician/celebrity not wearing one every year. i'm perfectly happy with the poppy, but recognise it causes a debate every. damn. year.

 

[AmexRuislip]

i agree with FIFA on this, theres a very simple and easy to follow rule - nothing on the shirts. it is a political statement, or one that can be construed as one, otherwise we wouldn't be discussing it. if FIFA allow this, they what other national/regional commemorations or celebrations should they allow?

I can see where you are coming from, but as I'm from a family orientated military background, I am of course biased.
But the point remains, that this decision should be made by the FA, and not FIFA, mainly because this is an event that has been honoured for years and many more to come.
It's a celebration, not a provocation to anyone who disagrees with it (I'm talking about FIFA)

 

[MattBackHome]

Wearing a poppy is about remembering all the fallen. Of course it's political.

There's no place at all for anything remotely political to be on a football shirt. FIFA should stick by their guns and the FA should accept it and plug the RBL some other way.

 

[Tooting Gull]

I can see where you are coming from, but as I'm from a family orientated military background, I am of course biased.
But the point remains, that this decision should be made by the FA, and not FIFA, mainly because this is an event that has been honoured for years and many more to come.
It's a celebration, not a provocation to anyone who disagrees with it (I'm talking about FIFA)

The FA can ask, but it's a Fifa competition and they have rules on this sort of thing.

The most obvious example recently has been Uefa sanctions for pro-Palestine protests with flags at matches involving Israeli teams in Europe.

I'd agree that the poppies are nowhere near as political as that, but there are elements (especially in Ireland) who might disagree with that and it probably only takes one country to object for Fifa to reject the idea.

I just don't see what the big deal is with having them on the shirts, there are loads of other ways you could have poppies represented in our outside the stadium.

 

[BensGrandad]

The only thing that can be said on FIFA's behalf is that it avoids players making a political stand as being against wearing one as per James McLean of West Brom.

 

[Theatre of Trees]

I can see where you are coming from, but as I'm from a family orientated military background, I am of course biased.
But the point remains, that this decision should be made by the FA, and not FIFA, mainly because this is an event that has been honoured for years and many more to come.
It's a celebration, not a provocation to anyone who disagrees with it (I'm talking about FIFA)

Other than the last few years the poppy was never worn on football shirts during matches. Why is this different now?

 

[AmexRuislip]

I'd agree that the poppies are nowhere near as political as that, I just don't see what the big deal is with having them on the shirts, there are loads of other ways you could have poppies represented in our outside the stadium.

I think you may have to ask HM Forces or the RBF what the big deal is

 

[studio150]

But strangely FIFA permit the playing of national anthems and for national flags to be raised in stadia, both of which are clearly political statements. Double standards to say the least.

 

[Notters]

I'm a bit on the fence with this one and can definitely see both sides of the argument. But if they did allow it it would be sewn onto the shirts and therefore the players wouldn't make any conscious effort to put it on, which would make it a bit pointless anyway, no? I think it would be sensible to make a rule that NOTHING other than the teams badge is allowed, so there can be no argument.

 

[AmexRuislip]

Other than the last few years the poppy was never worn on football shirts during matches. Why is this different now?

England v Scotland November 11th.

Remembrance Day November 13th.

I guess that's why

 

[jakarta]

ask those that advocate a white poppy, or those that kick off about some footballer/politician/celebrity not wearing one every year. i'm perfectly happy with the poppy, but recognise it causes a debate every. damn. year.

I'm not asking them, I'm asking you!

In my opinion a Poppy is not a 'political' symbol; sadly servicemen and women have left this country to be killed or maimed under political regimes of every stripe.

It doesn't mark approval of those conflicts, although I would say that on the whole it was a Good Thing that we won the Second World War.

I'm also certainly not saying wearing them should be compulsory. People who don't wear them neither go up or down in my estimation as it is a personal decision.

I simply think the FIFA Criteria are not met and if any player wants to wear a remembrance symbol they should be able to.

 

[Simster]

I'm not asking them, I'm asking you!

In my opinion a Poppy is not a 'political' symbol; sadly servicemen and women have left this country to be killed or maimed under political regimes of every stripe.

It doesn't mark approval of those conflicts, although I would say that on the whole it was Good Thing that we won the Second World War.

I'm also certainly not saying wearing them should be compulsory. People who don't wear them neither go up or down in my estimation as it is a personal decision.

I simply think the FIFA Criteria are not met and if any player wants to wear a remembrance symbol they should be able to.

Surely the issue is that FIFA have made a simple, clear rule - nothing on shirts. Otherwise, where does it end? Who is the arbiter of what is political and what is not, and whether or not such things can be deemed insensitive or offensive? Just ban them, full stop.

 

[Theatre of Trees]

England v Scotland November 11th.

Remembrance Day November 13th.

I guess that's why

What's wrong with each side having wreaths at the beginning? Why does it need to be on a football top?