England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland fined by FIFA for poppy displays on Remembrance Day

England, Scotland and Wales fined by FIFA for poppy displays — Both England and Scotland wore the poppy armbands (Getty)

The Football Associations of England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland __have been fined for their displays of poppies around Remembrance Day.

Despite warnings that they might be punished for displaying the symbol, the World Cup qualifier between England and Scotland on November 11 saw both teams wear armbands featuring the poppy as well as numerous other Armistice Day tributes.

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Meanwhile the Welsh FA opted against armbands, but the poppy was displayed in alternative ways during their game with Serbia. Northern Ireland also displayed the symbol.

The displays have been deemed to __have broken FIFA’s rules on making ‘political statements’, leading to the fine.

What do the rules say exactly?

Rule 4 under ‘The Players’ Equipment’ states: ‘Equipment must not have any political, religious or personal slogans, statements or images.’

The Football Association was handed the largest punishment, with a fine of 45,000 Swiss francs (£35,308) for several incidents including the wearing of poppies on armbands by players.

The Scottish Football Association and the Football Association of Wales were fined 20,000 Swiss francs (£15,692) and the Irish Football Association 15,000 Swiss francs (£11,769) for related offences.

During the row, it also came to widespread attention that the Republic of Ireland wore shirts commemorating the Easter Rising in a friendly against Switzerland in March. FIFA has now announced that the Football Association of Ireland has been fined 5,000 Swiss francs (£3,923).

What FIFA said...

The Disciplinary Committee has taken these decisions after analysing all of the specific circumstances of each case. ‘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. However, keeping in mind that the rules need to be applied in a neutral and fair manner across FIFA’s 211 member associations, the display, among others, of any political or religious symbol is strictly prohibited. In the stadium and on the pitch, there is only room for sport, nothing else,’ said the chairman of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee, Claudio Sulser.