After the last chords of the German and Japanese anthems sounded before the group E match of the World Cup in Qatar, the starting eleven of each team posed for the photographers present at the Khalifa Stadium. Unlike the usual smiles, German players covered their mouths in protest???????? In recent days, FIFA has banned captains from countries such as Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, England, Belgium, Wales and Denmark from using the rainbow bracelet emblazoned with ‘One Love’ in support of the LGBTQ+ community, threatening players with penalties???????? The gesture of the Germans represented a protest against the limits to freedom of expression. But it was not the only one.
FIFA has announced a general campaign called ‘No Discrimination’ which also includes the use of armbands. Manuel Neur, captain of Germany, entered the field with one of them covered by the left sleeve of the shirt???????? Subsequently, the refereeing team asked the goalkeeper to place the accessory that distinguishes him from his teammates on the kit. On Tuesday the German FA announced legal action against FIFA with the aim of seeing the ban on wearing the ‘One Love’ bracelet modified until the next match against Spain.
Already during the match, the German federation published a message on social networks. “With our captain’s armband we wanted to show the values we live by in the national team: diversity and mutual respect. This is not a political message: human rights are not negotiable???????? To deny us the bracelet is to shut up.”defended the DFB.
Wir wollten mit unserer Kapitänsbinde ein Zeichen setzen für Werte, die wir in der Nationalmannschaft leben: Vielfalt und gegenseitiger Respekt. Gemeinsam mit anderen Nationen laut sein. Es geht dabei nicht um eine politische Botschaft: Menschenrechte sind nicht verhandelbar. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/v9ngfv0ShW
— DFB Team (@DFB_Team) November 23, 2022
In the run-up to the match against the Japanese, the Mannschaft coach, Hansi Flick, and the German player, Joshua Kimmich, were consulted on the subject. The technician admitted that “the team wanted to wear the ‘One Love’ bracelet to make a statement”????????
“They ended up threatening us with sanctions. It is a shock to the team that we cannot do this for human rights, for diversity, for the values that we stand for as a team and as a people. For me, respect is part of life,” said Hansi Flick.
Joshua Kimmich regretted that the players couldn’t stand up for LGBTQ+ rights. “I think that would be a great statement. We have to keep talking about what is happening in Qatar. We are attentive and we will continue talking about the world’s problems”, said the Bayern player. In Qatar, homosexual relations are prohibited.
Source: Observadora
