FIFA say the poppy is a political symbol.

[999tigger]

They reached a compromise last time. I'm glad we are doing it anyway. They are going to look stupid if they sanction us. Perhaps theyd have referred the Axis to win and big groups of them being enslaved or gassed. I was impressed by gareth Southgate and the interview he gave. Glad he just said it straight.

[tinfoilhat]

You could apply the same loose, vague argument to a team wanting to wear Unicef badges. It's such a vague link that you could apply it to all kinds of things.

 

I'm curious as to how FIFA would prove that it's a political symbol.

 

I'm not sure you can compare the war with Iraq and UNICEF but I take your point. Arguably UNICEF shouldn't be on either.

[RootsBooster]

I'm not sure you can compare the war with Iraq and UNICEF but I take your point. Arguably UNICEF shouldn't be on either.

 

If you were FIFA (and I realise you're not), what evidence would you be able to put forward that would define the British Legion's Remembrance Poppy as a political symbol?

[tinfoilhat]

If you were FIFA (and I realise you're not), what evidence would you be able to put forward that would define the British Legion's Remembrance Poppy as a political symbol?

 

If I was FIFA (which I'm not ) id look at not necessarily just remembering our dead from two world wars or offering support to veterans but how it might wind people up from countries we've invaded from more tawdry conflicts and conflicts that are very much on the political table like the falklands. Also other people glorious dead include, Japan's Yasukuni Shrine has 14 men who are regarded as war criminals (I told you I'd look it up) is it OK for them to wear a motif on a football shirt with that on it? I think the royal British legion poppy campaign is a fantastic and noble cause but whole argument could be used by other countries, particularly those whose FA has, how to put it, very close ties with those in political power for very political reasons.

 

Maybe as a compromise both sides could agree before hand so you don't get a Pakistan side winding up India or something like that. It's the "thin end of the wedge" defence I suppose.

[RootsBooster]

If I was FIFA (which I'm not ) id look at not necessarily just remembering our dead from two world wars or offering support to veterans but how it might wind people up from countries we've invaded from more tawdry conflicts and conflicts that are very much on the political table like the falklands. Also other people glorious dead include, Japan's Yasukuni Shrine has 14 men who are regarded as war criminals (I told you I'd look it up) is it OK for them to wear a motif on a football shirt with that on it? I think the royal British legion poppy campaign is a fantastic and noble cause but whole argument could be used by other countries, particularly those whose FA has, how to put it, very close ties with those in political power for very political reasons.

 

Maybe as a compromise both sides could agree before hand so you don't get a Pakistan side winding up India or something like that. It's the "thin end of the wedge" defence I suppose.

 

That argument/opinion sounds more like "It may be perceived by some to be a political symbol" rather than "It is a political symbol".

 

As for your question, what do I think about Japan's wearing a motif - it's not for me to say whether Japan or England or anyone else should be allowed to wear remembrance motifs, my issue is that FIFA are trying disallow it based on a false premise. If FIFA are worried about the poppy upsetting other countries, they should say that, rather than come up with something disingenuous.

 

---------- Post added 08-11-2016 at 12:21 ----------

 

May in the commons was pretty weak on the issue. Basically saying FIFA should sort out their own corruption before telling us we can't wear poppies. What kind of lame ass argument is that?

 

It's totally lame, it's an ad-hominem.

[sgtkate]

You could argue that as it only commemorates 'our' dead and not that of our enemies that it is indeed political. I wrote a far more elegant and comprehensive answer and then my laptop crashed so I lost it and can't be bothered to write it again...

 

However, as others have said it's a political symbol in the same way a flag. It's a tribal statement that we are as one and you are not a part of us.

 

I have never felt poppies should be added to sports kit. If the individual chooses to wear a poppy because it's something they believe in doing then that's fine, but to effectively make poppy wearing an opt out is absolutely wrong.

[RootsBooster]

You could argue that as it only commemorates 'our' dead and not that of our enemies that it is indeed political. I wrote a far more elegant and comprehensive answer and then my laptop crashed so I lost it and can't be bothered to write it again...

 

However, as others have said it's a political symbol in the same way a flag. It's a tribal statement that we are as one and you are not a part of us.

 

I have never felt poppies should be added to sports kit. If the individual chooses to wear a poppy because it's something they believe in doing then that's fine, but to effectively make poppy wearing an opt out is absolutely wrong.

 

If you're going to reduce it to that, then no teams should be allowed to play, full stop. Teams from different countries all against each other are nothing more than tribes, us against them.

[banjodeano]

In my opinion, i dont think they should wear the poppy arm bands, there are enough opportunities to show your respect to the fallen, lets leave it out of football, in the old days you bought poppy, put it on your jacket and that was it, now everyone goes poppy mad,

[RJRB]

Keep politics out of sport because at times sport is the only common denominator and point of contact between countries.

I didn't agree with Southgate's comment because once again individuals are imposing their beliefs on a group of people.

Let them make their own contribution,or not to the British Legion and its' work and if they want ,wear their poppies on their suits.

As a gesture of remembrance it has had little effect on putting an end to wars .

Thatcher and Blair contributed to the casualties for political expediency.

I contribute because I think that the British Legion does help those who are the casualties of successive governments.

[RootsBooster]

In my opinion, i dont think they should wear the poppy arm bands, there are enough opportunities to show your respect to the fallen, lets leave it out of football, in the old days you bought poppy, put it on your jacket and that was it, now everyone goes poppy mad,

 

Heh, poppy madness