Poppies on the pitch

[Joe]

What is with the FA and the wearing of a poppy.The ref has been told to stop the match if the players come onto the pitch wearing a poppy.

[Alex H]

BBC News http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-15637074

"England footballers are

not allowed to wear poppies when playing Spain at the weekend, says

world football's governing body, Fifa. So what countries wear poppies to

respect the war dead?

Premier League footballers were sporting poppies stitched on

to their shirts while playing last weekend, but there will be no such

gesture when England take on Spain at Wembley on Saturday, the day

before Remembrance Sunday.

A Fifa edict says wearing them would break the rules about

displaying political symbols, prompting the British sports minister Hugh

Robertson to write a letter of complaint."

[LAiffricaine]

The poppy : a display of political symbol [:-))]  Mr Blatter needs his head examined and have a good read of this :  http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/6133312.stm

I like the poppy and every year I proudly wear it in rembrance of one my French great uncle who came back home blinded by a shrapnel in WW1. and also because I also have an in-law serving in the British forces.

[andyh4]

QUOTE:

The poppy : a display of political symbol [:-))] 

 

 

While I agree with your sentiment, it could indeed be seen as a political emblem.  Just as for example the red cross emblem is seen as a religious emblem across much of the world.

 

The real issue is, if poppies were to be allowed, at what point would you say sorry this emblem crosses the line and is not allowed.  It is easier (a cop out if you prefer) to say no to all emblems not belonging to the national team itself.

[Joe]

I think it is yet another sign of the world gone mad.

[Gardener]

How long have poppies been sewn into football shirts, isn't it a fairly recent thing?

Edit, answer yes it is , it started in 2007-8, so it is not really a tradition.

[NickP]

 If we want to wear a Poppy that's a personal thing and should have nothing to do with Blatter or his bribe ridden committee that is based in Switzerland, ( maybe it embarrasses them as they were neutral) If they are going to ban Poppies are they going to ban players who run onto the pitch and cross themselves, as that offends me ?

[sid]

Yes, you're right Gardener, a very recent trend. I'm a poppy supporter but I wondered if special shirts wasn't carrying things a bit too far. The cost of the shirts could have been donated instead. I understand that one possibility now is that the England team will wear warmup tops with an embroidered poppy, but the shirts will be unadorned (apart from sponsors... of course!!!). All seems a bit daft. I like the idea of the poppy appeal being brought to everyones attention, but in the Premier League there are so many foreign players, and they don't all feel the same about wearing the poppy.

[Gardener]

Perhaps just being Devil's advocate here. But does any one ever ask the players if they want to wear one? If the decision is made for them at a higher level , then that is not what wearing a poppy is all about.

The papers and public are getting in a tizz because other people can't wear a poppy for a football match. If the players wear one because they want to off the pitch, then isn't that what wearing a poppy should be all about?

There was an interesting article in the Independent . http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/fisk/robert-fisk-do-those-who-flaunt-the-poppy-on-their-lapels-know-that-they-mock-the-war-dead-6257416.html?origin=internalSearch

I don't think he is entirely right but not entirely wrong either.

[Edward Trunk]

After being condemned for not wearing the Daily Mail-approved coat to Remembrance Day, I remember Michael Foot saying that the best way to honour the war dead was to work hard to prevent more wars. If only a few of our recent Prime Ministers had listened to him.

[crabtree]

[quote user="Joe"]What is with the FA (and FIFA and EUFA) and the wearing of a poppy.The ref has been told to stop the match if the players come onto the pitch wearing a poppy.[/quote]

If the poppy is the loose type with plastic stem, like you would attach to a jacket/shirt/jumper/coat (sometimes with a pin), then it would be classed as dangerous by the FA, as they class rings, watches, ear rings etc. as dangerous.

They can come onto the pitch wearing these types of poppy (e.g for a minutes silence), but cannot wear them for the match itself.

If the poppy is the embroidered type then no problem.

[JSKS]

If the poppy were a universal symbol of remembrance then I don't see that a player should not wear one if he wants to.  But it is a peculiarly British emblem with the proceeds of  poppy sales going to British Service charities.  It is a national rather than international symbol.  As the match in question is against Spain (who don't have the poppy as a symbol of remembrance), the obvious solution would seem to be to ask the Spanish FA whether they have any objection to the poppy being worn.

Stop Press:

FIFA have agreed that the poppy can be worn in the black armband.

[Clarkkent]

[quote user="JK"]

If the poppy were a universal symbol of remembrance then I don't see that a player should not wear one if he wants to.  But it is a peculiarly British emblem with the proceeds of  poppy sales going to British Service charities.  It is a national rather than international symbol.  Stop Press:

FIFA have agreed that the poppy can be worn in the black armband.

[/quote]

It would be more accurate to say that the poppy is a Commonwealth symbol rather than a British symbol. I noticed that in Los Angeles, during the week, David Beckham was wearing a poppy when being interviewed.

Some years ago, I saw a poppy which had been placed in a sand tray in front of the cenotaph in the Peace Park in Hiroshima.