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Netherlands captain Virgil van Dijk has hit again at criticism accusing European groups on the World Cup of getting no “spine” after they determined towards sporting the OneLove armband.
The captains of seven nations, together with England and Wales, deliberate to put on the armband throughout matches to advertise variety and inclusion.
However the plans have been dropped due to Fifa’s menace of gamers being booked.
The captains are as an alternative sporting Fifa-approved ‘No Discrimination’ armbands.
“I play able the place a yellow card is just not helpful. I grew to become a soccer participant and I need to play these sort of tournaments,” Van Dijk informed Dutch broadcaster NOS.
Talking after the Netherlands’ 2-0 win over Senegal on Monday, the Liverpool centre-back mentioned: “There are individuals who say we do not have a spine, however that is not the way it works.
“We simply need to play soccer. I might have liked to play with that band, however not on the expense of a yellow card.”
The Netherlands started the OneLove marketing campaign earlier than Euro 2020 to advertise variety and inclusion, and as a message towards discrimination.
Similar-sex relationships and the promotion of same-sex relationships are criminalised in Qatar.
In a press release on Monday, the seven European nations – additionally together with Belgium, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland – mentioned they have been keen to pay fines for his or her captains sporting the armband however couldn’t put their gamers liable to being booked.
Talking after the 6-2 opening win over Iran, England skipper Harry Kane mentioned he was “disillusioned” about not with the ability to put on the armband, whereas team-mate Jack Grealish mentioned the choice was “a bit silly”.
On Tuesday, Belgium defender Jan Vertonghen mentioned he didn’t really feel comfy speaking in regards to the topic for worry of repercussion.
“In the event you make a press release by sporting the armband that will imply punishing your self,” Vertonghen mentioned earlier than his facet’s opening World Cup match towards Canada on Wednesday.
“I do not really feel comfy, and that’s telling sufficient. We’re placed on the spot, and I’m afraid that if I say one thing about this, I may not be capable of play [on Wednesday] and that could be a state of affairs I’ve by no means, ever skilled in soccer, and I hope I’ll by no means, ever need to expertise once more as a result of it isn’t good.”
Nations confronted with ‘excessive blackmail’
Additionally on Tuesday, the media director of the German soccer federation (DFB), Steffen Simon, mentioned the seven nations have been confronted with “excessive blackmail”, main them to drop their OneLove armband plans.
He informed German Deutschlandfunk radio: “The match director went to the English crew and talked about a number of rule violations and threatened huge sporting sanctions with out specifying what these can be.”
Simon mentioned the opposite six groups then determined to “present solidarity” with England.
“We have been in an excessive state of affairs, in an excessive blackmail and we thought we needed to take that call with out wanting to take action,” he mentioned, later including: “I can perceive the frustration. We had the selection between the plague and cholera.”
In Germany, grocery store chain Rewe has suspended its promoting cope with the DFB in a bid to distance itself from Fifa.
Rewe had already informed the DFB in October it was ending its partnership however has now achieved so “with fast impact” due to Fifa’s “unacceptable scandalous angle”.
“We arise for variety – and soccer can be variety. We reside this place and we defend it,” mentioned Rewe Group chief government Lionel Souque.
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