Marc Guéhi faces potential punishment from the FA after controversial message on the captain’s armband sparks outrage.
Marc Guéhi risks FA punishment after another message on rainbow armband.
Guéhi, the captain of Crystal Palace, is probably going to be disciplined by the Football Association for writing “Jesus loves you” on his rainbow armband during Tuesday night’s match against Ipswich Town.
After it was revealed that Guéhi had written “I love Jesus” on his armband for Saturday’s draw against Newcastle, the FA formally contacted the England defender and his team earlier on Tuesday. It is believed that they were reminded of the stringent guidelines prohibiting the presentation of any religious messages, as stipulated in Rule A4 of the regulations of the governing body.
It’s unclear if Guéhi, whose father is a pastor at a nearby church in southeast London and has publicly expressed his strong Christian beliefs, was informed that any more infractions would lead to his punishment. However, TV pundits quickly noticed that the 24-year-old had written a similar message for the match versus Ipswich at Portman Road, defying the FA and using a heart symbol to stand in for the word “love.”
Oliver Glasner, the Palace manager, was keen to play down the matter after the match. “[Marc’s] a great guy, very humble and we shouldn’t make it bigger than it is and keep it calm. In football we’re all against discrimination, against abuse, every single part. It was a great campaign and I think that’s it. He has his opinion and we accept and respect every opinion.”
Guéhi’s dad, John, was pretty vocal in defending his son saying he did nothing wrong that merits punishment.
“I am saying did he offend anyone? I don’t think so,” he told Mail Online. “I do believe in what the Bible says, Jesus loves everyone, and, in my opinion, Marc Guéhi did not offend anyone with what he wrote.
“We are so thick-skinned in this country, God is everywhere in this country, and I know things change because of different beliefs but it is still a Christian country. Therefore, I don’t see what is offensive. He is a devout Christian; the son of a church minister and he accepted to put the armband on to welcome everyone in football but the problem we have now is that players are being used as spokespeople now.”
To promote Stonewall’s Rainbow Laces campaign, which runs from November 29 to December 5, team leaders from every Premier League club were handed armbands to wear.
Sam Morsy, the captain of Ipswich, was the lone captain who chose not to wear the armband because he is a devout Muslim. It is believed that the FA views that as a matter for Morsy and his team and that there would be no violation of its rules.
Guéhi’s father believes it is unfair that there has been more attention on the Palace captain. “Marc said ‘Yes’ and did the right thing by wearing it but people are having a go at him for what he wrote, he accepted to wear the armband, he was just trying to balance the message.He was saying: ‘You gave me the armband, as a Christian I don’t believe in your cause, but I will put it on,’ but Morsy didn’t put it on because he said it was against his religion but more seems to be being said about Marc than him.”