France skipper Hugo Lloris has confirmed that he will not join other European national team captains in wearing an anti-discrimination armband during the World Cup in Qatar. Lloris had previously refused to say if he would participate in the initiative to support the season-long OneLove campaign to promote inclusion, which features an armband with a multi-colored heart. “I have been quite clear about this and I don’t want to add anything else,” Lloris said in an interview with AFP.
He said he wanted to “show respect” to host nation Qatar, whose treatment of migrant workers as well as women and the LGBTQ community have come under the spotlight in the build-up to the tournament.
“When we welcome foreign visitors to France we often would like them to respect our rules and our culture. I will do the same when I go to Qatar,” he said.
His comments echoed those made by French Football Federation President Noel Le Graet, who has opposed the initiative.
Lloris was missing due to injury when Manchester United defender Raphael Varane wore the multi-colored armband in a UEFA Nations League match against Denmark in September. At the time, Varane called it “an honour”.
The initiative was announced in September, with Lloris and England’s Harry Kane among the captains of 10 European nations who were expected to wear the armband in Qatar, where homosexuality is illegal.
Read more: https://sports.ndtv.com/fifa-world-cup-2022/fifa-world-cup-france-captain-hugo-lloris-will-not-wear-anti-discrimination-armband-in-qatar-3526616
