Football World Cup | Fifa bans the use of rainbow tape – the possible punishment makes players hesitate

Sport|Football World Cup

International The soccer association Fifa has banned the teams of the World Cup tournament from wearing the rainbow-colored captain’s armband. Among other things, England and Wales, who are playing on Monday, had planned to use the tape.

England captain Harry Kane and Wales Gareth Bale is to wear the One love rainbow ribbon on his arm to show his support for diversity and sexual minorities.

Homosexuality is prohibited by law in Qatar, and Fifa has sided with the host in a dispute with several national teams.

British newspapers The Telegraph and The Guardian reported on Sunday that Fifa has banned the use of rainbow ribbon. According to the newspapers, the punishment for using the prohibited equipment is still open, but one option is to warn the player using the tape with a yellow card.

Two yellow cards in the same match lead to sending off, and those received in different preliminary group matches lead to a one-match suspension.

“We have made it clear that we want to use tape. I know that the FA and Fifa are discussing the matter. We will have a decision before tomorrow’s match,” Kane said on Sunday.

Holland’s captain Virgil van Dijk is concerned about the consequences of using the tape. The Netherlands will face Senegal on Monday.

“I use One love tape. Nothing has changed from our point of view. If I get a yellow card for that, we have to talk about it because I don’t like playing with a caution,” van Dijk commented, according to The Guardian.

Fifa has offered instead captain’s armbands with different slogans. Kane is supposed to wear both the Fifa strip and the One love strip.

President of the German Football Association Bernd Neuendorff previously announced that Germany is ready to accept a fine for the use of the tape One love. Captain For Manuel Neuer however, the possible warning is worrying.