England may not be wearing the OneLove armband, but Ex-England international Alex Scott is wearing the armband inside the stadium while reporting the game in Qatar.
Alex Scott sports the #OneLove armband after England’s decision to abandon the gesture over FIFA sanctions.
The OneLove campaign is a KNVB initiative for connection and against racism in football. Norway, Sweden, Denmark, England, Wales, Belgium, France, Germany, and Switzerland have pledged support for the Dutch campaign and started playing with the OneLove armband in September this year.
Just three weeks ago, the KNVB said unequivocally that the Dutch men’s national team would continue supporting the OneLove campaign during the World Cup regardless of repercussions. “We will make that statement. And if there’s a fine, let there be,” KNVB secretary-general Gijs de Jong said to NOS.
Eight teams that qualified for the World Cup, including the Netherlands, said they planned to wear the armband in Qatar as a statement against bias and mistreatment of diverse sexualities and genders and also in support of fair treatment and equal human rights for all. Teams planning to use the captain’s armband include the national teams of Belgium, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Norway, Sweden, and Wales.
But now it seems that FIFA intends to enforce its call to focus on football, not human rights, during the World Cup with more than fines. “That FIFA wants to punish us on the field for this is unprecedented. This goes against the spirit of our sport, which connects millions of people. In the coming period, we will take a critical look at our relationship with FIFA together with the other countries involved,” the KNVB said.
England’s Football Association also confirmed that their team’s captain, Harry Kane, could be booked for wearing the armband. Like the Netherlands, England is also set to play on Monday. As of Sunday, the captain for Wales, Gareth Bale, said he would still wear the armband.