Harry Kane sporting the ‘One Love’ armband.© AFP
German Soccer Affiliation president Bernd Neuendorf stated on Monday that FIFA’s threats of on-field sanctions for carrying the ‘One Love’ armband have been “an unprecedented occasion in World Cup historical past”. Neuendorf confirmed an earlier announcement that Germany captain Manuel Neuer wouldn’t put on the rainbow-themed armband, which helps LGBTQ rights, on the event. FIFA had “threatened on-field sanctions”, believed to be yellow or purple playing cards, in opposition to gamers who wore them on the pitch.
“We won’t place the burden of FIFA’s confrontation on the again of Manuel Neuer,” Neuendorf stated, telling reporters the DFB “was very annoyed with FIFA’s determination”.
“We do not wish to expose our captain to such a danger (that) he would obtain a sporting sanction,” he stated from the staff’s coaching floor at Al Shamal, in northern Qatar.
“We have been keen to pay the fines which might be usually imposed for violations and we strongly advocated carrying the armband.”
Neuendorf stated the choice to threaten on-field sanctions was “a present of power from FIFA”. Whereas FIFA has beforehand discouraged groups from making “political statements”, the organisation’s statutes are unclear on whether or not these may result in on-pitch penalties.
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The director of the German staff, former striker Oliver Bierhoff, stated FIFA “escalated” the scenario, with Neuer and the German staff “going to mattress final night time believing he can be carrying the armband”.
“Manu is in a troublesome scenario — all of us are. Manu is disenchanted, as he stated within the press convention he would put on the armband, alongside different European staff captains like (England’s) Harry Kane.”
Germany play their Group E opener in opposition to Japan on Wednesday.
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