During the match on Saturday, England defender and Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi scribbled a religious message on his Rainbow armband, which looks to be in violation of the standards set down by the Football Association.
It is possible that the Football Association may issue a reprimand to Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi for putting “I love Jesus” on his Rainbow armband over the weekend.
As part of the Rainbow Laces campaign, both Guehi and Bruno Guimaraes, the captain of the Magpies, donned rainbow armbands during the match between Palace and Newcastle on Saturday. The match ended in a 1-1 draw. With the intention of providing support and encouragement to members of the LGBT+ community, who have been subjected to prejudice in the sport over the course of its history, the project was initiated in 2013.
Guehi was one of the 19 captains in the Premier League that wore the Rainbow armband. Sam Morsy, who was captain of Ipswich, was the only captain who did not wear the armband because of religious beliefs. The decision that Guehi made to alter his armband, on the other hand, may get him into trouble with the FA authorities.
It appears that the England centre back violated the rules of the game by writing “I love Jesus” on his armband. This is a violation of the rules of the game. On the other hand, the Football Association (FA) does not permit “political, religious, or personal slogans, statements, or images.” Initiative slogans and symbols that promote the game of football, respect, and integrity are permitted.
Captains of naval vessels “must wear an armband which is simple and conforms to the requirements of Law 4 relating to slogans, statements, images and advertising.” The same legislation stipulates that “for any offence the player and/or the team will be sanctioned by the competition organiser, national football association or by FIFA.”
In an interview with The Athletic in the year 2021, Guehi spoke on the significance of Christianity in his life, saying, “I’ve grown up loving God, and whenever I’ve had the opportunity, I still go to church with my family, and my faith is definitely a big part of my life.” Aside from football, where I am attempting to be a role model and demonstrate God’s graciousness and God’s glory through my life, faith is the driving force behind all that I am engaged in.
After it was reported by Mirror Football that Morsy, the captain of Ipswich, was the first Premier League captain to refuse to wear the Rainbow armband, he was met with criticism on Monday due to this revelation. The position was taken by Morsy, who is a devout Muslim, on the basis of his religious beliefs.
Despite the fact that the Tractor Boys issued a statement that highlighted the club’s LGBTQ+ activities, the statement also included the following: “At the same time, we respect the decision of our captain Sam Morsy, who has chosen not to wear the rainbow captain’s armband due to his religious beliefs.” We will continue to cultivate an atmosphere in which everyone is appreciated and cherished, both on and off the pitch.
Ipswich’s LGBT+ fan organisation, the Rainbow Tractors, issued the following statement in response to the decision: “While Rainbow Tractors were aware in advance of the decision, we are disappointed that Sam Morsy chose not to wear the rainbow armband in support of the Rainbow Laces campaign.”
The Rainbow Laces campaign is an excellent initiative that promotes the inclusion of LGBTQ+ individuals. It is an essential effort for ensuring that fans and players within the community are aware that they are welcome in the sport of football. On the other hand, we continue to respect his religious convictions, just as we have done in prior seasons.
