FIFA calls for ‘common sense’ over protests
Print Edition
FIFA has urged competition organizers to apply “common sense” and consider not sanctioning players demanding justice for George Floyd during matches.
The recognition by FIFA of the “depth of sentiment” over Floyd’s death came in a rare statement on Monday telling the global game to show flexibility and not enforce laws of soccer it helps to set.
Players used weekend games in Germany to reveal messages expressing solidarity with Floyd, a handcuffed black man who died in Minneapolis after a white police officer pressed a knee into his neck for several minutes after he stopped moving and pleading for air.
Germany’s soccer federation, or DFB, announced earlier that it was assessing whether to sanction the players for breaking laws of the game that prohibit “any political, religious or personal slogans, statements or images” on equipment.
“FIFA fully understands the depth of sentiment and concerns expressed by many footballers in light of the tragic circumstances of the George Floyd case,” FIFA said in a statement.
“The application of the laws of the game ... is left for the competitions’ organizers, which should use common sense and have in consideration the context surrounding the events.”
FIFA controls half of the eight votes on the International Football Association Board, which approves the laws. The other four votes are held by England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. A law change in 2014 — proposed by England — led to players being banned from revealing personal statements on undergarments.
England winger Jadon Sancho was booked while playing for Borussia Dortmund on Sunday for removing his jersey — a yellow-card offense — only so he could reveal a T-shirt with a “Justice for George Floyd” message.
Dortmund teammate Achraf Hakimi displayed the same message on a T-shirt after scoring in the same game but was not booked because he did not lift his jersey over his head.
In the Bundesliga on Saturday, American midfielder Weston McKennie wore an armband over his Schalke jersey with the handwritten message “Justice for George,” and Borussia Moenchengladbach forward Marcus Thuram took a knee after scoring for Moenchengladbach in another game.
On Monday, after the DFB said it was assessing the players’ actions, Cologne forward Anthony Modeste became the latest to make a gesture after scoring against RB Leipzig. He stood briefly with his right palm facing out and his left palm facing in to display the darker skin on the back of his hand.
Cologne said it was “a clear signal” against racism from Modeste.
The expressions of protest are being investigated by the German soccer federation’s control body.
But DFB president Fritz Keller praised the players for taking a stand and displaying their solidarity with Floyd. “I can completely understand the actions from the weekend. Nobody can be indifferent to what happened in the US.”
Yesterday, Newcastle United players posed taking a knee, in the style of former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who popularized the gesture as a way to protest racial issues. Liverpool players had done the same on Monday.
Spurred in part by Floyd’s death, protesters have taken to the streets of the United States and other nations to decry the killings of black people by police.
FIFA acknowledging the anguish over racial inequalities highlighted by Floyd’s death comes amid ongoing criticism soccer is not doing enough to eradicate or punish racism.
“FIFA had repeatedly expressed itself to be resolutely against racism and discrimination of any kind and recently strengthened its own disciplinary rules with a view to helping to eradicate such behaviors,” the Zurich-based body said. “FIFA itself has promoted many anti-racism campaigns which frequently carry the anti-racism message at matches.”
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