FIFA forbids Danish men’s soccer team from wearing pro-human rights shirts at Qatar World Cup

Sepp Blatter, the former president of FIFA, who oversaw the body when Qatar was granted hosting rights, recently told the Swiss newspaper Tages Anzeiger that Qatar was "a mistake" and that "the choice was wrong."

FIFA forbids Danish men’s soccer team from wearing pro-human rights shirts at Qatar World Cup

At this month's World Cup in Qatar, the men's Danish soccer squad is not permitted to wear practice shirts with human rights messages.

Jakob Jensen, the CEO of the Danish Football Federation (DBU), made the ban public in an interview with DR Sporten, which was published on Thursday.

The DBU had intended for the jerseys to say "Human Rights for All," but Jensen told DR Sporten: "Today, we received a message from FIFA that the training shirt we had thought the players should train in, which says Human Rights For All on the stomach, has been rejected for technical reasons. We are sorry for this.

We believe that the message of "Human Rights for All" is global, not a political one, and should be something that everyone can support.

FIFA declined to comment on the situation when contacted by CNN since it abides by the International Football Association Board's (IFAB) Laws of the Game. Equipment "must not have any political, religious, or personal slogans, statements, or images," according to Law 4.4 of the IFAB manual.

Since Qatar was chosen to host the World Cup more than ten years ago, the tournament has been marred by controversy, with the host nation receiving harsh criticism for the treatment of migrant workers and the state's poor human rights record.

Sepp Blatter, the former president of FIFA, who oversaw the body when Qatar was granted hosting rights, recently told the Swiss newspaper Tages Anzeiger that Qatar was "a mistake" and that "the choice was wrong."

Hummel, the company that makes the Danish team's uniforms, unveiled three kits in September: a set of all-red, all-white, and all-black shirts that stand in for the "color of grief."

According to an Instagram post from the company, the appearance is a protest because "we don't intend to be conspicuous at a tournament that has cost thousands of people their lives."

At the time, the tournament's directors refuted Hummel's assertions and asserted that they had held "strong and transparent conversation" with the DBU.

From November 20 to December 18, 2022, will be the World Cup.