FIFA have urged footballing bodies around the world to use ‘common sense’ in managing the expressions of support shown by players towards George Floyd.
Floyd was killed by police officers last week in Minneapolis, prompting protests and riots across the United States and further afield.
“The application of the laws of the game, approved by IFAB, is the responsibility of the organisers of the competitions who must use common sense and take into account the context surrounding the events,” said FIFA.
World football’s governing body continued to state that they “perfectly understand the depth of sentiment and concerns expressed by players in light of the tragic George Floyd case.
“FIFA have repeatedly spoken out against racism and discrimination of any kind and have recently reinforced disciplinary rules to eradicate such behaviour.
“FIFA have promoted a number of anti-racist campaigns.”
The statement comes after players such as Jadon Sancho, Marcus Thuram, Achraf Hakimi and Weston McKennie, among others, showed messages of support for the deceased Floyd.
Sancho was cautioned in his celebration, but the German Football Association (DFB) expressed an understanding towards his show of solidarity, explaining that he was booked for removing his shirt completely and that the referee hadn’t seen the message on his undershirt.
DFB president Fritz Keller expressed his pride for the maturity shown by the players in the Bundesliga for their gestures, stating that he understood their actions as what has happened in the United States “cannot leave anyone feeling indifferent”.
source: Marca
