Belgium star Jan Vertonghen believes that players are scared to speak out about issues surrounding the Qatar World Cup because they are being “controlled”.
The tournament has been engulfed by off-the-pitch issues around Qatar, including human rights abuses of migrant workers and the treatment of LGBTQ+ community in a country where homosexuality is illegal. The OneLove armband, which captains of several nations planned to wear to raise awareness and show solidarity with LGBTQ+ people, has become a flashpoint of the discussion.
Captains of England, Wales, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany and Denmark were due to wear the OneLove armbands at the World Cup. But they announced in a joint statement on Monday that the idea had been dropped due to pressure from FIFA, who warned the players would be booked.
Vertonghen has 142 caps for Belgium and is set to start in their opening game against Canada on Wednesday evening. He was asked about the OneLove armband furore in a pre-match press conference on Tuesday afternoon.
“If you make a statement by wearing the armband that would mean punishing yourself,” the former Tottenham centre-back said. “I don’t feel comfortable – and that is telling enough.
“We are put on the spot, and I am afraid that if I say something about this, I might not be able to play and that is a situation I have never, ever experienced in football, and I hope I will never, ever have to experience again because it is not good.
“We are being controlled. I don’t like making political statements. We are here to play football, and if we can’t even do that because we are making a statement and just saying normal things, like ‘no to discrimination’ or ‘no to racism’, and you cannot say that, then hey, then what?”
“I shouldn’t be saying anything about it because (on Wednesday) I want to appear for the kick-off at 10 o’clock, so I will leave it at that and that says enough.”
Although captains have decided against wearing the OneLove armband, they have still been visible in Qatar. Former England international Alex Scott decided to defy FIFA by wearing the armband live on BBC One ahead of England’s opening game against Iran.
Meanwhile, a Danish journalist was stopped from filming by Qatari police and asked to take his armband off. FIFA has been under pressure to act on the topic and have reportedly reminded Qatar they must allow rainbow symbols to be worn after security officials stepped in to remove them from fans.
Wales fans previously had rainbow bucket hats confiscated before their match against the USA on Monday night and a journalist was detained for wearing a T-shirt with a rainbow football on it. The German FA are reportedly considering taking legal action against FIFA over the OneLove armband situation.
