– It is completely unacceptable to bring our players into such a situation so shortly before the opening match. It is deeply criticizable, says football president Jesper Møller at a press conference. Also present were DBU director Jakob Jensen and football director Peter Møller. Jesper Møller says that they do not want Infantino to continue as president. – There is only one candidate, and we have to see if there is a new candidate. There is still a little more time. But Denmark is not going to support the current president, he says. As one of several nations, Denmark chose to drop the Onelove captain’s armband after threats from Fifa about sporting consequences. The threats came during an emergency meeting on November 21, where Fifa said the minimum penalty for wearing the armband would be a yellow card. Fifa is said to have referred to Article 4 of their regulations which states that players who use equipment that is not allowed on the pitch can be punished. On Wednesday, the Danish Football Association (DBU) called an extra press conference with the management on the occasion of the case. And it is clear that the Danes are not taking the situation lightly. Now Denmark announces that they, together with the other nations, intend to take the matter to a legal level. – After the meeting with the other nations today, we have decided that we will react together with them. We are all puzzled that we are not allowed to wear the armband. It has not been a problem in other tournaments, says football president Jesper Møller. The seven countries will meet again tomorrow to discuss the way forward. At a press conference, the Danes said that they have also asked Fifa and Qatar to stop stopping spectators wearing clothes in the colors of the rainbow. Preget Hjulmand To news, Denmark coach Kasper Hjulmand does not hide that the decision to drop the Onelove captain’s armband is difficult to live with. – In Denmark, we have a slogan called “a part of something bigger”. And right now I’m not sure I’m part of something I like, he told news after the 0-0 draw against Tunisia on Tuesday. Hjulmand made no secret of the fact that he is deeply affected by what has happened. – It worries me as a person that I walk around here. I can say that I go around myself, and I find it difficult to find myself in this. I only speak for myself when I say that I, as a person and as a human being, am having a hard time right now, said the Denmark boss at Tuesday’s press conference. Legal action On Tuesday it emerged that Germany, who also dropped the Onelove captain’s armband they had planned to use, will take legal action against Fifa after the rainbow denial. The German Football Association has decided to take Fifa to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), confirms a spokesperson for the German association. – Fifa has stopped us from showing a symbol of diversity and human rights. They have done it at the same time as threatening us with sporting sanctions, without specifying them, says Steffen Simon in the German Football Association. The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) informs news that they have not yet received an appeal from the German federation. At the same time, they confirm that they have a so-called Ad hoc department for the World Cup, which means that they must process such an appeal within 48 hours after it has been received. According to Møller, Germany cannot go directly to CAS. They must first receive a punishment from Fifa. – Says we don’t have a backbone The Onelove situation has been the big talking point in the WC so far. Several players react to being labeled as cowards who do not take the punishment that Fifa had to threaten – I play in a position where a yellow card is not useful. I became a soccer player and I want to play this kind of tournament. There are people who say we don’t have a backbone, but that’s not how it works, said Virgil van Dijk at the Dutch press conference. – Anyone who expects us footballers to deprioritize us as athletes and give up our sports dreams, which we have worked for all our lives, in order to position ourselves even more politically, will be disappointed, writes the German star Thomas Müller on Instagram.
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