FIFA's decision to decline the English FA's request for England players to wear poppies embroidered on their shirts for this Saturday's friendly game against Spain has opened the proverbial can of worms. FIFA rejected the FA's appeal on the grounds that shirts "should not carry political, religious or commercial messages" and this is beginning to brew up a storm in the British media, with David Cameron calling the decision "outrageous".
First things first, I have little time for the FIFA machine, especially the strong whiff of corruption and the way Blatter has dragged his heels on goal-line technology and insulted women footballers. What's more, I'm a proud poppy wearer myself. However, this time, I do think FIFA has made the right call.
At the heart of this furore is the question of whether the poppy is a political symbol. Putting aside the fact that when politicians get involved the issue becomes de facto political, I think this whole debate boils down to a clash between intention and perception.
Put simply, many people (like me) intend to wear poppies as an act of remembrance not just for loved ones lost in both World Wars, but for all those who gave up their lives fighting for the freedom we enjoy now.
Unfortunately though, because the poppy has a wider remit of remembrance for British forces lost in all campaigns since WW1, including more politically divisive ones like Northern Ireland and Iraq, then it is perceived as a political symbol in some quarters.
I also understand that, from FIFA's perspective, there is the fundamental issue of setting a precedent. If the FA is allowed to put poppies on shirts for an England game, what's to stop other countries stitching even more politically divisive symbols on shirts in future? FIFA can't, nor shouldn't, vet each application.
All that said, what saddens me is the way the poppy has been used in some quarters as a platform to express pro or anti-British views. Its original intention was only ever to provoke us into a period of personal reflection, not to be used as a political football. And as for the new trend of glittery poppies worn on TV, like they're some kind of fashion statement, well don't even get me started on that.
I say let remembrance always be a personal act and never enforced or politicised (which reminds me to visit my Grandad's grave this weekend) but let's keep the beautiful game neutral.
First things first, I have little time for the FIFA machine, especially the strong whiff of corruption and the way Blatter has dragged his heels on goal-line technology and insulted women footballers. What's more, I'm a proud poppy wearer myself. However, this time, I do think FIFA has made the right call.
At the heart of this furore is the question of whether the poppy is a political symbol. Putting aside the fact that when politicians get involved the issue becomes de facto political, I think this whole debate boils down to a clash between intention and perception.
Put simply, many people (like me) intend to wear poppies as an act of remembrance not just for loved ones lost in both World Wars, but for all those who gave up their lives fighting for the freedom we enjoy now.
Unfortunately though, because the poppy has a wider remit of remembrance for British forces lost in all campaigns since WW1, including more politically divisive ones like Northern Ireland and Iraq, then it is perceived as a political symbol in some quarters.
I also understand that, from FIFA's perspective, there is the fundamental issue of setting a precedent. If the FA is allowed to put poppies on shirts for an England game, what's to stop other countries stitching even more politically divisive symbols on shirts in future? FIFA can't, nor shouldn't, vet each application.
All that said, what saddens me is the way the poppy has been used in some quarters as a platform to express pro or anti-British views. Its original intention was only ever to provoke us into a period of personal reflection, not to be used as a political football. And as for the new trend of glittery poppies worn on TV, like they're some kind of fashion statement, well don't even get me started on that.
I say let remembrance always be a personal act and never enforced or politicised (which reminds me to visit my Grandad's grave this weekend) but let's keep the beautiful game neutral.
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