Following the decision of world soccer governing body FIFA not to allow captains of teams to wear ‘One Love’ armbands (in support of LGBTQIA+ rights) at the World Cup currently underway in Qatar, some of its members are threatening to leave the organisation.
Jesper Moller – Danish FA chairman – has disclosed he’s ready to talk with the other 55 UEFA-member nations about the possibility.
“It is not a decision that has been made now,” Moller said. “We have been clear about this for a long time. We have been discussing it in the Nordic region since August.”
He added: ”I’ve thought it again. I imagine that there may be challenges if Denmark leaves on its own. But let us see if we cannot have a dialogue on things.
“I have to think about the question of how to restore confidence in FIFA. We must evaluate what has happened, and then we must create a strategy – also with our Nordic colleagues.”
Indications show Italian-Swiss citizen Gianni Infantino will most likely run for re-election as FIFA president with Moller saying the Danes won’t support him.
“There are presidential elections in FIFA. There are 211 countries in FIFA and I understand that the current president has statements of support from 207 countries,” Moller said. “Denmark is not among those countries and we’re not going to be either.”
Germany, another team FIFA’s decision angered, have threatened legal action against the organisation, questioning the legality of its actions.
Ahead of their loss to Japan, the 2014 World Cup winners lined up for a pre-match photo shoot with their mouths covered as if they were being silenced – which, no doubt, is how they feel.
Belgium were also affected by FIFA’s decisions.
Not being allowed to wear the ‘One Love’ armband was not the only FIFA decision that infuriated them. Stopping them from wearing two of their kits as a result of that was the other.
The team’s white away kit had the word ‘Love’ embroidered into the collar of the shirt and that was enough to ban the kit from the tournament.
They were also stopped from wearing their pre-match shirt because it was too colorful.
And these decisions came only 48 hours before they played against Canada on Wednesday night.
