France captain Hugo Lloris says he would not wear a rainbow armband to campaign against discrimination in the upcoming FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
The rainbow color is associated with the LGBTQ+ community, a section, according to the international community, sidelined in the host country Qatar.
When addressing the question regarding wearing the armband in the press conference, he said: ‘Before we start anything, we need the agreement of FIFA, the agreement of the [French] federation.
‘Of course, I have my personal opinion on the topic. And it’s quite close to the [French federation] president’s.’
France captain Hugo Lloris is unsure about wearing a rainbow armband in Qatar. pic.twitter.com/hyWzxezLat
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) November 15, 2022
Read more: Qatar displays Hadiths of Holy Prophet ahead of FIFA World Cup
President of the FA Noël Le Graët said that he would prefer players not to wear the armbands in respect of the local tradition and customs.
Lloris added: ‘When we are in France, when we welcome foreigners, we often want them to follow our rules, to respect our culture, and I will do the same when I go to Qatar, quite simply. I can agree or disagree with their ideas, but I have to show respect.’
🎙️ Hugo LLoris, on the LGBTQ+ captain armband: "I have my personal opinion. When we welcome strangers in France, we often want them to comply with our rules and requirements. I will do the same in Qatar. I have to show respect for that." 🏳️🌈 pic.twitter.com/2BVmB2Etqp
— Football Tweet ⚽ (@Football__Tweet) November 14, 2022
The event is to start on November 20th but is marred by protests regarding a host of social issues including the rights of the LGBTQ+ in Qatar. Homosexuality is banned in Qatar.
Footballers are pressured into utilizing the event to raise awareness and highlight social issues in Qatar.
France’s captain says players should instead focus on their game and performance. Lloris said, “Honestly, I agree [with FIFA’s sentiment], there’s too much pressure on the players. We are at the bottom of the chain.”
‘If you have to apply pressure, first of all, it had to be 10 years ago. Now it’s too late. You have to understand that for players this opportunity happens every four years and you want every chance to succeed. The focus has to be on the field. The rest is for politicians. We are athletes,” he added.