So FIFA is fining the home nations for the poppy displays and all that went with it.
Fifa disciplinary committee chairman Claudio Sulser said he "fully respected" the commemorations but stressed the rules "need to be applied to all member associations".
"The display, among others, of any political or religious symbol is strictly prohibited," he added.
"In the stadium and on the pitch, there is only room for sport, nothing else."
Maybe he has a point with the last sentence. After all we go to football grounds to watch football. The way it is going we seem to have a) black armbands, or b) a minute's silence, or c) applause x minutes into the game, or d) pre-match commemorations of some event or other at an increasing number of games. Is a football game the place for such things? I think not and I'd much prefer there to be a ban on all club sanctioned commemorations so that we could just get on with the game.
Fifa disciplinary committee chairman Claudio Sulser said he "fully respected" the commemorations but stressed the rules "need to be applied to all member associations".
"The display, among others, of any political or religious symbol is strictly prohibited," he added.
"In the stadium and on the pitch, there is only room for sport, nothing else."
Maybe he has a point with the last sentence. After all we go to football grounds to watch football. The way it is going we seem to have a) black armbands, or b) a minute's silence, or c) applause x minutes into the game, or d) pre-match commemorations of some event or other at an increasing number of games. Is a football game the place for such things? I think not and I'd much prefer there to be a ban on all club sanctioned commemorations so that we could just get on with the game.