Controversy in the Premier League due to the rainbow armbands that the captains of the Premier teams wore this weekend in support of the LGBTQ+ community. The English competition carried out a campaign this day in support of the group, although two captains went off the beaten track.
The first, Sam Morsy, captain of Ipswich Town, directly refused to wear it for religious reasons. The player, an Egyptian international although born in England, is a practicing Muslim and was the only one of the 20 Premier League captains who did not wear the rainbow colors on his sleeve.
His club, Ipswich Town, issued a statement in which it stated that it “respects Morsy’s decision” but that it supports the initiative in support of the group: “Ipswich Town Football Club is committed to being a fully inclusive club that welcomes to everyone,” states a statement from the club. He adds: “We proudly support the Premier League’s Rainbow Laces campaign and support the LGBTQ+ community in promoting equality and acceptance.”
The other ‘discolo’ among the captains of the British championship was Marc Guehi, from Crystal Palace, who did wear the armband in support of the LGBTQ+ community but wrote the phrase “I love Jesus” on it in marker. The English international is deeply Christian and wanted to vindicate it in the rainbow ribbon.
The British press has reported that Marc Guehi could be sanctioned for writing the phrase “I love Jesus” on his armband since FA rules allow a series of “initiative mottos/emblems”, such as the ‘Rainbow Laces’ of this weekend, but they prohibit “political, religious or personal slogans, statements or images.”
As a curiosity, it should be reported that Ipswich Town and Crystal Palace face each other this Tuesday afternoon in a match corresponding to matchday 14 of the Premier League.
A precedent last season
The cases of Sam Morsy and Marc Guehi are not the first ‘discolos’ in this initiative of the Premier to wear rainbow bracelets in support of the LGBTQ+ community. Last season, Sheffield United captain Anel Ahmedhodzic was the first in seven years to refuse to wear it.
The Bosnian international, who recently retired from the national team, did not want to officially clarify at the time the reason why he did not want to join the rainbow bracelet initiative.
