F*ck FIFA!!!

[Gob]

The Football Associations of England and Scotland say they will defy a ban on players wearing poppies when the teams meet on Armistice Day.



The FAs will let players wear black armbands with poppy emblems and are willing to accept any punishment.

Fifa general secretary Fatma Samba Diouf Samoura told BBC Sport "any kind of sanction" could follow.

World football's governing body prohibits political, religious or commercial messages on shirts.

UK Prime Minister Theresa May has called the rule "outrageous".

Britain is not the only country that has been suffering from the result of war

English FA chief executive Martin Glenn told BBC Sport that players from both sides would wear black armbands carrying the poppy symbol - traditionally used to remember those who died during World War One - "as a point of principle".

The SFA also confirmed it "intends to pay appropriate tribute by having the Scotland national team wear black armbands bearing poppies".

England play Scotland at Wembley on 11 November in a World Cup 2018 qualifier.

http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/37853386

[wesw]

bravo!!!

I was wondering where America s testicles had gone....

oh well we ll grow more.... enjoy them, put them to good use.

brexit rocks!!!!

[rubato]

Systematic corruption and cheating for decades doesn't matter.

Its the poppy thing?

Grow a moral sense.

FIFA has been a cesspit of corruption akin to the Vatican (Vatican bank helping organized crime in italy for ex.) for 50 years.

The "beautiful sport" is ugly at its core. And you enable it.


yrs,
rubato

[Gob]

Systematic corruption and cheating for decades doesn't matter.

Its the poppy thing?

Grow a moral sense.

FIFA has been a cesspit of corruption akin to the Vatican (Vatican bank helping organized crime in italy for ex.) for 50 years.

The "beautiful sport" is ugly at its core. And you enable it.


yrs,
rubato

ROTFLMFFAO!!!

This board would be a great deal less entertaining without Asperger's boy unwavering willingness to display his utter ignorance on any given topic.

[Lord Jim]

LMAO

It takes a truly uh, "creative" (not to mention obsessive) "mind" to somehow manage to work a swipe at the Catholic Church into a thread about English and Scottish soccer players wearing Armistice Day commemorative poppies at a soccer match...

I'm surprised he didn't figure out a way to blame Ronald Reagan....

[Long Run]

On the one hand, this is a benign symbol that should not be controversial with anyone (except maybe Turks who rue the loss of their empire). On the other hand, this gets back to whether someone on the clock (and a very well paid bunch at that) should get to express their personal views. As shown by the recent protest-demonstrations by pro players here, allowing individuals to use their well-paid public platform to express personal beliefs can damage the overall brand, costing everyone money. It is a business after all. And it is easier for the employer to simply say no personal political/social statements while at the game, than to try to adjudicate which statements are okay and which ones are not.

[Bicycle Bill]

On the one hand, this is a benign symbol that should not be controversial with anyone (except maybe Turks who rue the loss of their empire). On the other hand, this gets back to whether someone on the clock (and a very well paid bunch at that) should get to express their personal views. As shown by the recent protest-demonstrations by pro players here, allowing individuals to use their well-paid public platform to express personal beliefs can damage the overall brand, costing everyone money. It is a business after all. And it is easier for the employer to simply say no personal political/social statements while at the game, than to try to adjudicate which statements are okay and which ones are not.

But if some group pays you to wear pink towels and shoes; or wear camoflage uniforms or uniforms with the team name in Spanish, German, or Polish; or put a message on the side of the equipment ("Guaranteed Rate Field"?  Really??), then that's OK because it's all about the $$$, right?

-"BB"-

[Long Run]

Um, yeah, BB, that is the way it works. And, yes, it is about the money.

[MajGenl.Meade]

UEFA is not the employer of the England and Scotland football teams. Individuals are not defying an order from the nazis in Switzerland; the two Football Associations are doing so.

UEFA is or perhaps has been (?) a cesspit of corruption (witness the World Cup in the desert still to come). That has nothing to do with this issue, which is all about the monomaniacal political correctness of effete European busybodies

[Econoline]

Can you have another referendum--in favor of a Fexit? (Just a thought...)

[Gob]

Fifa has fined all four home nations for displaying poppies during World Cup qualifiers around Armistice Day.

England and Scotland players wore armbands featuring the symbol when they met at Wembley on 11 November.

Wales and Northern Ireland's respective games featured displays on the pitch or in the stands to mark the event.

England's Football Association will appeal against the fine of 45,000 Swiss francs (£35,311), with Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland yet to decide.

Scotland and Wales were both fined 20,000 Sfr (£15,694), and Northern Ireland 15,000 Sfr (£11,770).

A Scottish FA (SFA) spokesman confirmed discussions between the home nations have already taken place and an official appeal is likely to be lodged early in the new year.

as I say"FUCK FIFA!"

[Scooter]

Manufactured outrage. There would have been no need for a "compromise" allowing players from the UK to sport a poppy in 2011, unless all involved understood that it could at least be seen]/i] as violating the rule. There would have been no reason for the English and Scottish FAs to go to FIFA seeking permission to wear poppies in 2016, unless they were concerned that, by doing so without permission, they faced sanctions for violating the rule.

And in 2014, when IAFB was making amendments to the rule on political/religious/personal displays on equipment, with the benefit of hindsight of the 2011 dispute, why did none of the four UK FAs, who together own half the seats on IAFB, stand up and say, "FIFA is interpreting this language as prohibiting poppies, and we don't agree that it should, so let's clarify it by amending it to read thus and so"?

Because they aren't pissed because they believe they were unjustly sanctioned by a rule that does not apply to poppies. They knew they were breaking the rule. They are pissed because, having been permitted to break the rule once, they believed themselves entitled to break it in perpetuity. Well, they discovered otherwise. Too bad, so sad.

Of course, the usual suspects have found their whipping boy of the week and are rubbing their hands gleefully as they inflame the populace into unbridled hysteria. And if I ever had any doubts that Theresa May would allow herself to get swept up in whatever populist frenzy was gripping the nation at the moment, she certainly dispelled them with that revolting display. That Her Majesty's Prime Minister could so thoughtlessly debase her office by insinuating herself into a dispute over a football rule, it's a Donald Trump move. What next, will the Prime Minister's Office be issuing a press release whenever a referee makes a call she doesn't like? Or perhaps each week after Dancing with the Stars she will hold a press conference to give her opinion of the judging.

[Gob]

I don't understand what you are saying here?

The reason that permission and compromise were sought is due to the matches being played on Armistice day.

[Scooter]

Yes, and it would not have occurred to the FAs to seek permission beforehand, if they really believed, as they are now claiming, that the rule doesn't apply to poppies at all, because poppies are not political/religious/personal. Why would you seek permission to wear something if you don't believe that the rule prohibits it?

And the act of seeking permission to do something acknowledges that permission is required. To do it anyway when permission has been denied, and then to stomp your feet like an unruly child when you are punished for breaking the rules, is nothing but disingenuous posturing.

[Gob]

So they sought clarification?

Fifa said that when contacted by the four FAs about wearing poppy symbols, it "reminded them about law four" - which states players are not allowed to wear "political, religious or personal slogans, statements or images".

[Gob]

To do it anyway when it has been "banned" shows courage of conviction, and the strength of feeling in the country.

Would you have gay sex if it was "banned" or would you stomp your feet like an unruly child?

The idea of players wearing a poppy was raised before the two nations met on 11 November, the day when the United Kingdom traditionally remembers those who have died in conflict.

According to the rule-making International Football Association Board (IFAB), which includes members of the four British football associations, players cannot wear "political, religious or personal slogans, statements or images".

The compromise of wearing a printed poppy on an armband was brokered for England's 1-0 friendly win over Spain at Wembley on 12 November, 2011.

In the same year, Scotland players wore poppies on armbands and on their tracksuits in a match against Cyprus.

However, world football's governing body would not specify before Friday's fixture whether England or Scotland would face punishment for doing so this time around.

[Scooter]

Yes, and....? Having received "clarification", they knew the potential consequences when they chose to go ahead and flout the rule regardless

Look, if they wanted to say, "bugger the rule, we think it's important that players display a poppy on that day, any penalty FIFA imposes on us will be a badge of honour," that would have shown courage of conviction. But this was something else entirely. Either the FAs believed that FIFA would relent if backed into a corner, or they knew that FIFA would never change its mind and played the entire scene to maximum effect. Either way, the FAs have been playing you.

And if gay sex were illegal I most assuredly wouldn't be having it within the sight of a police officer, nor would I risk describing my sex life on a radio program. And if I did choose to do those things in order to take a public stand against an unjust law, then I would expect to pay the consequences (i.e. go to prison) just as everyone who engages in civil disobedience does.

[Bicycle Bill]

Fifa said that when contacted by the four FAs about wearing poppy symbols, it "reminded them about law four" - which states players are not allowed to wear "political, religious or personal slogans, statements or images".

Makes me wonder what they'd have to say about tattoos.  Would one have to wear some sort of makeup to cover anything that FIFA deemed offensive or inappropriate?

-"BB"-

[Gob]

Yes, and....? Having received "clarification", they knew the potential consequences when they chose to go ahead and flout the rule regardless

Yes, they decided to stick to their principles, rather than bow to FIFA

Look, if they wanted to say, "bugger the rule, we think it's important that players display a poppy on that day, any penalty FIFA imposes on us will be a badge of honour," that would have shown courage of conviction. But this was something else entirely. Either the FAs believed that FIFA would relent if backed into a corner, or they knew that FIFA would never change its mind and played the entire scene to maximum effect. Either way, the FAs have been playing you.

You know that official bodies do not talk that sort of language.

English FA chief executive Martin Glenn told BBC Sport that players from both sides would wear black armbands carrying the poppy symbol - traditionally used to remember those who died during World War One - "as a point of principle". The SFA also confirmed it "intends to pay appropriate tribute by having the Scotland national team wear black armbands bearing poppies".

The FA said: “The poppy is an important symbol of remembrance and we do not believe it represents a political, religious or commercial message, nor does it relate to any one historical event.

“The FA intend to pay appropriate tribute to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice by having the England team wear black armbands bearing poppies.”

And if gay sex were illegal I most assuredly wouldn't be having it within the sight of a police officer, nor would I risk describing my sex life on a radio program. And if I did choose to do those things in order to take a public stand against an unjust law, then I would expect to pay the consequences (i.e. go to prison) just as everyone who engages in civil disobedience does.

Well I'm sure they were aware of the consequences, and are now challenging them. Sticking by their principles again

BTW:

Fifa has been accused of double standards after it emerged Republic of Ireland players wore a political symbol on their shirts in a friendly against Switzerland on 25 March to mark the centenary of the Easter Rising. Damian Collins MP, chairman of the Commons' Culture, Media and Sport select committee, said he had called on Fifa to "clarify the issue". The Easter Rising was an Irish rebellion against British rule, which lasted from 24 to 29 April 1916 and resulted in 485 deaths. "That appears to be an absolutely classic example of leniency being shown to other countries," Collins said.

[Guinevere]

FIFA would be the entity that does nothing about rampant cheating, but gets all worked up about wearing a poppy on Remembrance Day. Yes, fuck them.