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Dublin Live
Dublin Live
National
Rayana Zapryanova

Ireland captain Katie McCabe refused permission to wear OneLove armband at Women's World Cup

FIFA will not permit Ireland captain Katie McCabe to wear the OneLove armband in matches at the World Cup this summer.

Captains will be able to wear armbands corresponding with a number of social issues and causes they want to highlight throughout the tournament in Australia and New Zealand. However, the Ireland captain will not be wearing the LGBT awareness armband despite FAI's request several months ago, RTE reported.

It is understood that those wearing OneLove bands - or any other unapproved bands - at a match would trigger sanctions.

This follows FIFA's consultation with national associations and players over its plans in a bid to avoid a repeat of the row over OneLove armbands which dominated the opening week of the men’s World Cup in Qatar last year.

Read more: Football star Stephanie Roche defends RTE's punditry after 'passionless' claims

There, captains of the nations involved in the OneLove campaign were threatened with sporting sanctions starting at a yellow card if the bands were worn, because they would have been a breach of FIFA equipment regulations.

Team captains will also have the option to wear a 'football unites the world' armband for the entire tournament, if they do not wish to choose a single cause or support different causes round by round.

OneLove band pictured during the FIFA 2022 World Cup in Qatar (Bruno Fahy/ Getty)

FIFA president Gianni Infantino said: "Football unites the world and our global events, such as the FIFA Women’s World Cup, have a unique power to bring people together and provide joy, excitement and passion.

"But football does even more than that – it can shine the spotlight on very important causes in our society.

"After some very open talks with stakeholders, including member associations and players, we have decided to highlight a series of social causes – from inclusion to gender equality, from peace to ending hunger, from education to tackling domestic violence – during all 64 matches at the FIFA Women’s World Cup."

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