Fifa has fined all four home nations for displaying poppies during World Cup qualifiers around Armistice Day. England and Scotland players wore armbands featuring the symbol when they met at Wembley on 11 November. Wales and Northern Ireland's respective games featured displays on the pitch or in the stands to mark the event. England have been fined 45,000 Swiss francs (£35,311), Scotland and Wales 20,000 Sfr (£15,694) and Northern Ireland 15,000 Sfr (£11,770). Fifa disciplinary committee chairman Claudio Sulser said he "fully respected" the commemorations but stressed the rules "need to be applied to all member associations". "The display, among others, of any political or religious symbol is strictly prohibited," he added. "In the stadium and on the pitch, there is only room for sport, nothing else." Why have the countries been punished? According to the rule-making International Football Association Board (IFAB), players cannot wear "political, religious or personal slogans, statements or images". But both England and Scotland players wore armbands featuring the poppy symbol during England's 3-0 win. There was also a display of poppies on big screens, a minute's silence, playing of the Last Post and poppy T-shirts handed to the crowd. Following Wales' 1-1 draw at home to Serbia the following day, Fifa opened disciplinary proceedings looking at "fans in the stands wearing the poppy" and the presence of "a member of the armed forces holding a bunch of poppies at the exit of the tunnel", according to the Football Association of Wales. The holding of a minute's silence, the laying of a wreath and a poppy display by fans before Northern Ireland's 4-0 win over Azerbaijan on 11 November have led to the punishment of the Irish FA.
We need to walk away from FIFA. It is a joke Missing the next 2 World Cups until that sham is burned to the ground and set up again correctly will be no great loss
FIFA are a ****ing back street abortion. A total clusterfuck of an organisation. Still as corrupt as ever. Since when was the poppy religious or political?
I could see this happening on a wider scale bit like BREXIT in Europe - I think our PM will be on the case - she told FIFA to sort it's own house before Rembrance Day - Plus the FA need to act positively for once and help to get rid of negativity about the child abuse in the game . I always expect the unexpected it's my Mackem default mindset
Pay them in chocolate coins. Swiss francs, the cheeky bastards haven't even got the decency to fine in £££s.
fifa will be collecting lots of fines for countries flags then. The crescent moon represents islam. The stars and stripes is political. There must be hundreds.
We've been doing this since the end of WW1. Almost 100 years & there's never been a problem before. Why is it now all of a sudden?
Northern Ireland flag is political, the red hand of Ulster. The old Soviet union flag was political. So is Turkey's.
No problem then. We`ll pay our fines when all the other countries with religious or political symbols on their flags pay theirs.
There`d need to be half a dozen committees first. I know what I`d like the FA to do but I doubt they`ve got the orbs to do it.
Can't get annoyed at anything FIFA do these days, they have no credibility anymore, dont know why any of the associations take any notice of them anymore. There should be a mass walk out and leave the cheating, robbing bastards to it but as Pops said our FA haven't the balls to start going on their own, cos like Brexit one country sows that seed of doubt others will follow as I'm sure the EU will find out once we've negotiated our leaving.
Qatar Russia Bribery Corruption Documents seized Arrests Prosecutions. What more do they want? I hope there are discussions going on behind the scenes with other countries to dump FIFA and start anew but I won`t hold my breath.
