In their midweek World Cup qualifiers, the Norwegian and German national football teams walked on the pitch wearing t-shirts with slogans clarifies the issue of human rights.
For most of 2020, sports leagues around the world have allowed clubs to ‘get on their knees’ before a game in support of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement. But when Norway traveled to Gibraltar on Wednesday, with Germany hosting Iceland a day later, both teams paid attention to 2022 hosting Qatar’s accusation of migrant workers.
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The Norwegian team walked out with matching tops with the message “Human Rights – On and Off the Park,” while the German team with the words “Human Rights” was spelled as each wore a t-shirt. player with one letter. Both teams won their game 3-0.
Although such a display goes against FIFA norms, the sport’s governing body has confirmed that no action will be taken against each team.
When did Norway and Germany make this statement?
A debate among Norway’s top flying clubs – led by Tromsø – has reportedly been going on for a few weeks over the national team’s ability to boycott next year’s World Cup.
National team players and coach Ståle Solbakken were all on display during warm-up with t-shirts saying “Respect – On and off the pitch,” before changing it for the one with the words “Human Rights – On and off the pitch ”as they stood for the national anthem.
“This is a bit we’ve been talking about, to focus on some of what’s been an off-pitch debate,” Solbakken told Norwegian TV2. “The boys really wanted to do this and I’m here as an example of that.”
Meanwhile, the German team came out for the national anthem wearing t-shirts with one letter on it spelled “Human Rights. ”
“The players have pulled everything on their shirts,” German team coach Joachim Loew told the Guardian. “This should have been our first statement with the team. We stand up for human rights, wherever they are. These are our values. So, it was a very good and important statement. ”
Why were these statements made?
Ever since Qatar won the bid to host the 2022 World Cup, back in 2010, there have been reports of unhealthy conditions for construction workers, most of whom are workers. migration work, construction of the proposed new and refurbished stadium.
A report by the Guardian last month revealed that more than 6500 migrant workers from the Indian subcontinent had died since hospitality rights were granted to the oil-rich country.
On Thursday, however, according to the Guardian, the spokesman for the Qatar World Cup organizer (Central Delivery and Legacy Committee- SC) said the country “has always been clear about the health and safety of workers . ”
The spokesman added: “Since construction began in 2014, there have been three work-related and 35 non-work-related deaths. The SC has examined each case, learning lessons to avoid any repetition in the future. The SC has published all events through public reports and or annual staff welfare progress reports. ”
What has been FIFA ‘s response in the Norwegian – German statement?
FIFA issued a statement on Thursday, following the presentation in Norway, “(no) disciplinary case in this case will be opened. FIFA believes in freedom of speech, and in the power of football as a force for good. ”
The governing body’s position goes against their disciplinary code which states that in any case “the use of a sporting event for a display of a non-sporting nature” will be prosecuted.
Is this the first time that FIFA has not imposed sanctions against such a complaint?
It didn’t start. impose any penalty.
“For the avoidance of doubt, in the FIFA tournament the recent performances of players in Bundesliga matches would be commendable and not punitive,” he said. “We must all say no to racism and any form of discrimination. We must all say no to violence. Any violence. ”
According to the Evening Standard, FIFA’s Section 4 of Law 5 states that “players should not have slogans, statements or images on the hook or other equipment that may be perceived as political. ”
Like FIFA, will IOC also look the other way?
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has been debating the implementation of their infamous Rule 50 – which prevents any athlete from promoting an issue of any kind at the Olympic Games.
According to the IOC website: “Rule 50 intends to protect the playing field and podium from any objection, to honor our fellow athletes and their special“ moment ”and allow them to focus. put on the performance. Examples of what would be a complaint include any political messages, including signs or weapons; movements of a political nature, such as hand or knee movements; and refusal to follow the protocol of the rituals. ”
Ever since the death of George Floyd who inspired a renewed BLM movement, sporting events such as, but not limited to, football leagues across Europe, Formula One, the NBA, NFL, MLB, and India tour West of England last year. all players see the knee before games.
There have been a number of organizations, such as the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) – which made it clear in December that it will not take any action against an athlete who will stand at the upcoming Tokyo Olympics – and even World Athletics.
“I have been very clear that if an athlete chooses to kneel on a podium I support that,” World Athletics President Sebastian Coe told Eurosport.
“Athletes are part of the world and they want to reflect the world in which they live. For me, that part is okay as long as it’s done with respect – total respect – for other competitors, which I think most athletes understand as they should. ”
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Where is that debate now?
The IOC Athletes Commission had conducted an investigation to force Olympians and elite athletes to adopt Rule 50. The deadline for the survey ended in January.
Other organizations conducted their own studies, as reported by Inside the Games. The Australian Olympic Committee’s Athletes Commission found that “most believed that they should be able to express themselves without compromising the performance of other athletes or the overall experience of the Olympic Games.”
The Panam Sports Athletes Commission surveyed 218 athletes across 25 countries. It found that 189 thought the IOC should deal with discrimination and 191 said the IOC should update its rules regularly. 153 stated that Rule 50 was wholly or partially unfair and 39 called for its abolition. 98 amendments were tabled while 81 were good with the current Rule 50.