War veterans have condemned FIFA for refusing to allow the England football team to wear poppies on their shirts during a friendly match against Spain at Wembley next Saturday. The Football Association had requested to display the Armistice Day emblem on the kit, but FIFA rules prohibit changes to official kit.
George Batt, general secretary of the Normandy Veterans Association, described the decision as "disgraceful." The 86-year-old World War Two veteran said: "I don't really understand it. I can't see any harm in wearing a poppy. You surely don't need rules and regulations in FIFA like this. It's so sad." He added that he believes 90% of the population wear poppies and called the decision "childish."
Despite the ban, the FA confirmed that the squad will wear poppies on their training kit on Armistice Day, which will be auctioned for charity. An FA spokesman said: "The FA are proud supporters of our armed forces... The England senior team will proudly wear poppies on their training kit and all our staff and representative teams will stop to observe the Armistice Day silence."
The Poppy Appeal, now in its 90th year, is run by the Royal British Legion and raises funds for service personnel and their families. A spokesman for the charity said: "We appreciate that showing support is not always possible under some regulations and we would never seek to impose ourselves in these situations."
