FIFA disciplinary proceedings over 1916 Easter Rising logo.

Don't know if this is the right forum for it, but: FIFA has opened disciplinary proceedings because of the 1916 Rising Centenary logo that Ireland had on their shirts for a March friendly against Switzerland.

http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/37872020

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The Republic's players had the years 1916-2016 on their shirts during a friendly against Switzerland in March.

Fifa's decision comes amid discussions with the English and Scottish football associations over wearing poppies for their Armistice Day match.

The most likely punishment will be a fine, the BBC's Richard Conway reports.

A Fifa spokeswoman confirmed proceedings had been opened, adding: "We cannot comment further at this stage nor speculate on any outcome."

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A section of law four, which deals specifically with players' equipment, reads: "Equipment must not have any political, religious or personal slogans, statements or images.

"Players must not reveal undergarments that show political, religious, personal slogans, statements or images, or advertising other than the manufacturer's logo.

"For any infringement the player and/or the team will be sanctioned by the competition organiser, national football association or to be justified by Fifa.

The crest of most countries, contains a political statement or image. Don't the Iranians call themselves the Islamic Republic on their badge? I think FIFA, who have enough issues as it is, are digging a hole for themselves.

If I'm to be critical of the FA over their poppy stance I think I'd have to also side with FIFA over this. Though as OF says, FIFA are digging a hole for themselves by not turning a blind eye, even if I think technically they're right.

This was a 100 year event the poppy thing is every year.

...but both can be deemed political. For argument's sake I'd say the Rising and the Poppy both appeal to the more nationalistic instincts in each country, even if there's also a totally benign context for each. I think it's fair to say each leaves itself open to be hijacked for political purposes. It's almost a Catch 22. By arguing that neither is political, you make each political. I hope the FAI just takes this on the chin, and our media. I want the FA to make a holy show of themselves. It's been quite gratifying to see several UK broadsheets arguing that football has lost the run of itself over the poppy. A guy in the Guardian wrote that as soon as the poppy becomes de facto compulsory it loses its intended symbolism, specifically citing James McClean.

I watched Sky News yesterday as Damian Collins "ratted" the FAI out. They are comparable, but as TC says we have to put up with this poppycock every year; our celebration of failure was a once-off.

Roll on 2022...

I hope the FAI though as you say, take it on the chin and just go "oops". Watching Theresa May getting worked up about this in the Commons was the most unbelievable thing when you consider the absolute state of the country she is in charge of at present both politically and economically.

"Let's stir the masses against this perfidious foreign denial of our rights as Britons to wear the Poppy with pride. And let's all ignore the sh1it-show that I haven't a clue what I'm doing with, that is Brexit."


Squirming establishment Brits are my favourite. Watching the HC judgement filter through yesterday was the best. Let it continue.

Fifa first have to establish if there is a prima facie case for the FAI to answer. The BBC have already leapt over 4 hurdles and found the FAI guilty.

That law just refers to the players 'equipment'.
I'd presume there were other ways to commemorate the 1916 rising which are not legislated against.
Couldn't the Garda band have paraded around pre match, throwing shapes under a Nuremberg like mass of tricolour flags, playing a rousing medley of A Nation Once Again, The Boys of the Old Brigade, finishing off with the Wolf Tones' You'll Never Beat the Irish?

I see the Easter Rising is 'trending' heavy on the world's media, knocking this poppy nonsense off it's perch.

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Originally Posted by tricky_colour

This was a 100 year event the poppy thing is every year.

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It was a 100 year event completely unrelated to football. I take your point on the poppy thing. It's gotten way out of hand and now we (the grand 'we' ...the FAI) have just facilitated it getting worse.

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Originally Posted by Lionel Ritchie

It was a 100 year event completely unrelated to football. I take your point on the poppy thing. It's gotten way out of hand and now we (the grand 'we' ...the FAI) have just facilitated it getting worse.

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We didn't. This happened in March and no one gave a shoite. Including the Brittainishers when the game was shown on one of their TV stations. Not an eyelid was batted. Nada. Now all of a sudden they are getting into their annual bombastic huff.

Screw them.

How you can say we "facilitated them" I just don't know.

Do the same rules apply to friendlies?

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Originally Posted by The Fly

Do the same rules apply to friendlies?

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I don't see how they can. The England v Scotland game very obviously falls under FIFA jurisdiction as a World Cup qualifier. Our game was a friendly. If FIFA have jurisdiction there why don't they have jurisdiction over Everton v West Ham.

This also is supposedly in the laws of the game in the same section that mandates shinguards etc. That's up to the referee to enforce on the day, and those same laws specifically prohibit retroactive punishment.

I don't see how we can be punished.

I could have sworn I read about the FAI getting some clearance for the 1916 logo at the time.

Good opportunity for FIFA to fine us €5m to even things up :)

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Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

If I'm to be critical of the FA over their poppy stance I think I'd have to also side with FIFA over this.

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Seconded. I doubt FIFA had the Easter Rising in mind when they came up with this rule, but if they are to be consistent, it applies here also.

I'm inclined to think that if Argentina put out a shirt with an outline of the country embossed into the fabric that included the Falkland/Malvinas Isles, that the Brits would lose their minds.

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Originally Posted by DeLorean

I could have sworn I read about the FAI getting some clearance for the 1916 logo at the time.

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I can remember the FAI saying they got permission for the two friendlies but couldn't have it for the Euros.

Go for it!!

Los Malvinas son Argentines

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Originally Posted by BonnieShels

We didn't. This happened in March and no one gave a shoite. Including the Brittainishers when the game was shown on one of their TV stations. Not an eyelid was batted. Nada. Now all of a sudden they are getting into their annual bombastic huff.

Screw them.

How you can say we "facilitated them" I just don't know.

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We facilitated them because we've gone and created precedent for them to reference. Now they want to ramp up and show just how respectful and rememberency they are in 2016 -in a fixture they played in 1999 on the same weekend against the same opposition in the same competition and there was no mention of poppys or any other form of commemoration. I doubt the lads in sky sports studio were wearing poppies back then. They want sauce for the goose is all ...and having seen us get away with a breach of the letter and spirit of the rules I can scarcely even blame them. It's a good rule there to prevent exactly this kind of silly-buggers.

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Originally Posted by IsMiseSean

I can remember the FAI saying they got permission for the two friendlies but couldn't have it for the Euros.

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I hope they have that in writing from someone who isn't John Delaney ...or an imaginary friend of John Delaney.

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Originally Posted by IsMiseSean

I can remember the FAI saying they got permission for the two friendlies but couldn't have it for the Euros.

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So what's the problem? They got permission off the wrong governing body maybe? It looks to me like they tried to do everything above board and if UEFA gave them permission then maybe they're the ones FIFA need to slap down. There's no way the FAI should just take it on the chin if that's the case.