Teams should stand together
■ IT’S time for a big change in the FIFA leadership as the current lot seem to be falling in line with whatever the Qatari’s want.
The World Cup should stand for freedom of speech and the coming together of all nations and groups. Not adhering to what the Qatari royal family wants, telling footballers they can’t wear the rainbow armband for gay rights, taking hats off people and not serving alcohol in stadiums except for the posh hospitality areas.
The World Cup is for the world, not one country, and there should be a public inquiry into this one.
It should never again be held in Qatar or similar countries and David Beckham should be dropped from all advertising outside of the World Cup for accepting a role as ambassador. It’s disgraceful to put money ahead of human rights. A Robinson, Liverpool
■ When questioned about competing in such a vile country, the FA, Gareth Southgate and Harry Kane said they would take the opportunity to speak out about Qatar’s appalling human rights. That worked out well, didn’t it? The first bit of pressure from FIFA and the morally bankrupt FA fold. Southgate and Kane could have taken a moral stand and insisted on wearing the OneLove rainbow armbands in England’s first match. I won’t be watching any games. A meaningless gesture, I know, but a clear conscience is its own reward.
Sandy Taggart Innellan, Argyll and Bute
■ Good to see the German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser wearing the OneLove armband while sitting next to FIFA boss Gianni Infantino at Germany’s match against Japan in Qatar.
It’s a pity none of our ministers have done the same.
We should all stand together and tell the Qatar government and FIFA to respect the LGBTQ+ community and show the people of the world that football is for everyone. Good luck to Harry Kane and the lads who wanted to show support but were denied by FIFA. Clifford Cook, Middlesbrough
■ FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s morality rant was unbelievable. How can the boss of the world’s football authority justify today’s human rights abuses by the Qatari’s by referring to Europe’s colonial past?
The bidding process and 12 years of exploited labour has left this World Cup with blood on its hands and FIFA should hang their heads in shame.
S Vaughan Yardley Wood, Birmingham
■ The decision by FIFA to punish players for wearing armbands is depressingly predictable, while the decision by teams to go back on their principles and not wear the armband is shameful.
If teams had stood shoulder to shoulder and continued displaying their message, FIFA would have been forced to back down.
Bill Evans, Llandynan, Denbighshire
■ It is total hypocrisy of FIFA to say they will punish players with yellow cards for wearing OneLove rainbow armbands.
Showing support to include everyone is not a political statement but punishing players who do so to appease a country lacking in decent human rights is.
Martin Jackson Macclesfield, Cheshire
■ The decision to hold this World Cup in Qatar has always been controversial, ever since disgraced Sepp Blatter announced it.
Like most things and in particular football, it’s down to money. We, along with many European nations, already have the stadia and infrastructure to hold the World Cup but are ignored.
Chris Smith, Northampton