(Doha) Players of the German team covered their mouths during the pre-match photo shoot on Wednesday in protest against punitive measures FIFA wants to impose on players who wear the multi-colored OneLove armband.
At the same time, the German soccer federation is studying the possibility of suing FIFA. “FIFA prevented us from using a symbol of diversity to defend human rights,” said the director of communications of the selection, Steffen Simon, quoted by the BBC. “They threatened us with massive sports sanctions, without specifying which ones. »
The players from Germany, like those from six other European nations, had agreed to have their captain wear the OneLove armband, in support of members of the LGBTQ+ community who are facing repression in Qatar. FIFA told these countries on Sunday that it would crack down on protesters, with penalties of up to a yellow card.
More details to come.