Fifa opens case over England/Scotland wearing poppies

[Hazardousman]

"Some supporters in the stands wearing poppies."
How the fuck dare they?! Obviously these Welsh so-called supporters were not there to watch the game but simply to make a political statement.
And this from the world body whose Executive Committee decided on Qatar to host the 2022 World Cup based - not on footballing reasons - but on the size of the bribe in their bank account.
You really couldn't make it up, could you.

This is exactly why I made the thread because I knew FIFA were trying to make a statement in support of the "politically offended" everything is getting banned or complained about these days, it's a fucking joke.

 

[Hoops]

This is exactly why I made the thread because I knew FIFA were trying to make a statement in support of the "politically offended" everything is getting banned or complained about these days, it's a fucking joke.

No it really isnt. Politics and sport has always been separate. If anything, you are the one offended.b Here is a clue for you....

International - no poppy allowed
National - poppy no problem

deal with it

 

[Rocksuperstar]

This has occupied my mind since they went after the Welsh and i've mulled the whole thing over a fair bit.

With regards to England/Scotland, FIFA can always invoke the "my ball, my rules" clause - as it is their competition, they get to call the shots and that's fair enough i suppose. Dickish, but fair enough. However, i do see a way around it for future concerns. If my memory serves, England have previously had three kits; Home, Away, alternate, but the alternate kit is rarely ever used (I seem to recall a White home, Red away, Grey or light Blue alternate in the past? Or have i imagined that?) so why not register the third kit with a poppy design to it? Just a huge poppy that covers one shoulder, maybe chuck in some lions or something as well, but it's the only time the England team really want to adorn their kit with anything other than a commemoration of the actual game being played, so sacrificing the alternate kit for just this occasion will surely suffice? Could certainly be spun as a "victory" for both the FA and FIFA, so i don't see who would lose out.

But, regardless of their advantageous stance on that issue, taking on the Welsh fans just smacks of someone mad on power. They are, literally, trying to dictate what the fans wear now and on such an emotive issue? Dick move, FIFA, but also a very strange and, imo, dumb one. It's going to drag in opposition from people who aren't even interested in football, they're going to be forced to back down but, perhaps this is just them doing a "South Park" so they can concede on the extreme content and appear reasonable when bargaining - they back down on the Welsh fans, so long as Wales promise to not allow a poppy pitchside. The demand may be absurd, but they'll argue they were prepared to barter so the FAW should too.

Man, i hate politics with my football.

 

[Col_M]

No it really isnt. Politics and sport has always been separate. If anything, you are the one offended.b Here is a clue for you....

International - no poppy allowed
National - poppy no problem

deal with it

I think you've mixed up Never with Always.

 

[Hoops]

I think you've mixed up Never with Always.

see your point. but it reinforces mine

 

[Hazardousman]

No it really isnt. Politics and sport has always been separate. If anything, you are the one offended.b Here is a clue for you....

International - no poppy allowed
National - poppy no problem

deal with it

Did you even read what Fifa have issued complaints for? Or are you just arguing for the sake of it? "Some supporters in the stands wearing poppies." < Please explain to me how this is a valid complaint?

Also, saying politics and sport have always been separate is ignorance at best and delusion at worst Hoops I am afraid to say.

Your last argument against me was how we are allowed to commemorate our dead "everywhere" and yet here are Fifa saying supporters are not allowed to wear poppies in the stands, sort of completely invalidates your point really.

Also, I am not offended, I am criticising how ridiculous it is for Fifa to try and ban things just because it offends a few people who have nothing better to do with their lives than look for reasons to shit on western culture because it doesn't agree with their own views or beliefs, a poppy is a commemoration of the dead, telling supporters they cannot wear poppies is the most ludicrous thing I have ever heard, there is absolutely no logic behind it.

 

[ExpatFan]

I see FIFA are determined to be CAUCs about this:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/38368144

"Fifa has fined all four home nations for displaying poppies during World Cup qualifiers around Armistice Day.
Football's world governing body has punished the countries after the teams either wore the symbol or marked the event in other ways - with a display by fans, for example.
England have been fined 45,000 Swiss francs (£35,311), Scotland and Wales 20,000 Sfr (£15,694) and Northern Ireland 15,000 Sfr (£11,770)."

I hope all 4 Home Nations tell that bunch of corrupt aunts to fuck right off.

 

[LSUY]

The fine given to England is larger than the fine given to Chile for their fans singing homophobic chants.

 

[Dougal]

Little grasses owe us five grand too.

 

[Annekcma]

Glad to see FIFA following through with this, particularly in the case of Northern Ireland. It's near impossible to fail see how it is a political symbol here. It's disappointing but not surprising to see the IFA not managing to avoid this issue to make the team more inclusive.

 

[GeneralBurk]

This whole poppy thing has really changed in the last 20 years. England didn't bother wearing any in 1987 v Yugoslavia.

The funny thing is the poppy used to be for rememberance for WW1 and WW2. Very clear goodies and baddies winners and losers. The poppy represents all the wars the armed forces have been involved in, and frankly the goodies and baddies are not so clear in these wars.

What happens if Serbia want wear an emblem to honour their war dead from the Balkans? Croatians and Bosnians are going to go mental a rightfully so. That's before we start off in Africa which historically has been a clusterfuck.

Do FIFA legislate on every country and conflict or do they simply just say fuck it nobody gets symbols and say deal with it.

 

[worcestersauce]

FIFA has always been adamant about politics and football and has been steadfast, back in the time of apartheid when other sports were saying we should allow South Africa to play because we shouldn't mix politics and sport FIFA said representing your country should be based on merit not colour and made a stand against that political discrimination, they made a stand and they were right and they haven't changed, the political emblems may be less blunt now but they are at least being consistent.
Having fined the FA's it would be a nice gesture if FIFA made a corresponding contribution to a charity, the Royal British legion perhaps.

 

[tiger666]

This whole poppy thing has really changed in the last 20 years. England didn't bother wearing any in 1987 v Yugoslavia.

The funny thing is the poppy used to be for rememberance for WW1 and WW2. Very clear goodies and baddies winners and losers. The poppy represents all the wars the armed forces have been involved in, and frankly the goodies and baddies are not so clear in these wars.

What happens if Serbia want wear an emblem to honour their war dead from the Balkans? Croatians and Bosnians are going to go mental a rightfully so. That's before we start off in Africa which historically has been a clusterfuck.

Do FIFA legislate on every country and conflict or do they simply just say fuck it nobody gets symbols and say deal with it.

This is it. FIFA are absolutely right.

 

[DJS]

Why was englands fine higher than the others?

Did we have ours on shirt rather than as arm bands and that made fine higher?

 

[ExpatFan]

Why was englands fine higher than the others?

Did we have ours on shirt rather than as arm bands and that made fine higher?

No. Quite simply FIFA hates England more than the other Home Nations.