Last weekend, during the 13th day of the English championship, the captain of the Ipswich club refused to wear the rainbow armband in support of the diversity and inclusion of the LGBTQ+ community.
A new controversy in sight? Sam Morsy, captain of Ipswich Town in England, refused on Saturday to wear a rainbow armband during the “Rainbow Laces” campaign, which supports the integration of the LGBTQ+ community.
According to the Mirror, the Egyptian international (33 years old), of Muslim faith, refused to wear the rainbow armband for religious reasons and therefore did not wish to support Rainbow Laces during the defeat of his team on the Nottingham Forest pitch (1-0).
Leaders respect his choice
A justification confirmed by the promoter with the British daily. Ipswich Town, however, reiterated its commitment to inclusion in football and in society. “Ipswich Town is committed to being a fully inclusive club that welcomes everyone,” a club spokesperson assured the Daily Mirror. We proudly support the Premier League’s Rainbow Laces campaign and stand alongside the LGBTQ+ community in promoting equality and acceptance.”
The leaders of the east of England club indicated that they “respected the decision of (their) captain Sam Morsy, who chose not to wear the rainbow armband due to his religious beliefs. Further initiatives are planned for Tuesday’s home game against Crystal Palace, including a takeover of the stadium’s giant screen in the moments before kick-off. We will continue to develop an environment where everyone is valued and respected, both on and off the field.”
The Ipswich LGBTQ+ supporters group also spoke out. “Rainbow Laces is a great campaign that supports LGBTQ+ inclusion and is important to fans and players in the community who need to know they are welcome in football,” the Rainbow Tractors said. However, we continue to respect his religious beliefs, as we have done in previous seasons.
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