The FA is to challenge Fifa’s ruling that the poppy is a political symbol after the four British associations were fined for offences including supporters wearing poppies at recent internationals.
England have been hit with a fine of SwFr45,000 (about £35,000) for incidents such as players wearing poppies on armbands and “the display by spectators of a political symbol”.
The associations had argued that there was nothing political about the poppy and as far back as 2011 the Duke of Cambridge, the FA’s president, had written to Fifa asking for it to be permitted, saying it was “a universal symbol of remembrance, which has no political, religious or commercial connotations”.
That plea succeeded, but Fifa changed its stance before matches that took place on Armistice Day last month, including England against Scotland at Wembley.
Scotland and Wales have been fined about £15,700 each and Northern Ireland about £11,800 for related offences. Ireland have been fined about £3,923 for wearing shirts commemorating the Easter Rising in a friendly against Switzerland in March.
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The FA has announced that it will appeal against the fine. “We note the decision by the Fifa disciplinary committee, which we intend to appeal,” an FA spokesman said. “As a first step, we have written today to Fifa requesting the grounds for the decision.”
Fifa said that the fines were imposed for several incidents from the Wembley match, including the displays “by the host association, the English team and spectators of a political symbol”, as well as several cases of spectator misconduct.
How fine compares
Claudio Sulser, chairman of the Fifa disciplinary committee, said that the rules had to be applied in a “neutral and fair manner”, adding: “With these decisions, it is not our intention to judge or question specific commemorations as we fully respect the significance of such moments in the respective countries, each one of them with its own history and background . . . In the stadium and on the pitch, there is only room for sport, nothing else.”
Both the Irish FA and FA of Wales have yet to respond but the Scottish FA chief executive, Stewart Regan, said it was “clearly disappointing” that Fifa has ruled that the poppy is a political symbol. The Scottish board will discuss the issue today to decide on any appeal and will request the full reasons from Fifa. It also plans to discuss the issue with England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Rosena Allin-Khan, the shadow minister for culture, media and sport, described the fines as “utterly disrespectful”.
“We continue to believe that footballers and fans should be able very clearly to show their support for all that our armed forces doTheresa May’s spokeswoman
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“Fifa have been embroiled in a corruption scandal, which has seen tens of millions of pounds in bribes paid out under their watch,” she said. “Rather than fining UK teams for wearing poppies, Fifa should be concentrating on getting their own house in order.”
A spokeswoman for Theresa May, the Prime Minister, said: “Fifa don’t seem to have recognised the sentiment behind poppies — that they are not a political symbol, but are about recognising with pride the role that our brave servicemen and women play.
“We continue to believe that footballers and fans should be able very clearly to show their support for all that our armed forces do.”
Asked whether the UK’s football associations should pay the fines, the spokeswoman said that the department of culture, media and sport was “looking at what happens next”.
Fifa have also taken action against a number of countries over homophobic chants. Chile have been banned from the national stadium in Santiago for their next two World Cup qualifiers, while fines have been imposed against Argentina, Colombia, Panama, Mexico and Venezuela.
