Germany have ‘opportunity’ to wear OneLove armband at World Cup, claims vice chancellor

Fifa have threatened unspecified sporting sanctions against players who wear the rainbow band

German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck has said he would wear the multi-coloured ‘OneLove’ armband at the soccer World Cup 2022 and see what happened, but he took care to add it was not for him to decide what national team captain Manuel Neuer does.

Habeck’s comments late on Tuesday came amid a row over the symbol in Qatar, where homosexuality is illegal.

Asked by broadcaster ZDF whether players should wear the armband, Habeck replied: “I am not the media advisor of the DFB (German football association) and I am not Manuel Neuer but the opportunity is there.”

“I’m a politician trying to do my job properly, but what would happen if it happened now? I would like to know and I would take my chances,” he added.

The comments come after soccer’s global governing body, FIFA, cracked down on players wearing the armbands in support of diversity at this year’s World Cup.

In response, Rewe, one of Germany’s biggest supermarket chains, scrapped its advertising campaign with the DFB.

Germany play Japan in their opening fixture in Group E on Wednesday.

Reuters