JOHN McBeth, the former SFA president and FIFA official, last night dismissed fears that world football’s governing body will dock England and Scotland points for their players wearing poppies on black armbands in the Russia 2018 qualifier next week.
Both the FA and SFA are set to openly defy an official FIFA edict when their national teams play in a Group F match at Wembley on Friday, November 11 – Armistice Day - after their appeals to the organisation failed this week.
FIFA refuses to allow teams to display “political, religious or commercial symbols on their kit” and their general secretary Fatma Samba Diouf Samoura this week confirmed that “any kind of sanction” could be taken if the rule was flouted.
However, McBeth, the former Clyde chairman who was prevented from becoming FIFA vice-present in 2007 after accusing African and Caribbean associations of being tainted by corruption and greed, doesn’t believe they will deduct World Cup qualifying points.
“I don’t think they will deduct points,” he said. “They might fine them, but I can’t see them taking points from them. If it was left to me I would turn a blind eye to it altogether.
“I can understand FIFA’s stance. If you allow one team to display a symbol then you will get a whole number of them doing exactly the same. It is best just to have none at all. I can understand their point of view. At the end of the day it's a game of football. But I’m also sympathetic to people who want to wear a poppy. It’s a difficult situation.
“I can understand the strong feelings involved. Gianni Infantino (the FIFA president) is Italian and I expect he will understand the problem here. I would have thought they would take it to the FIFA football committee to decide what action to take. But I would just turn a blind eye to it.”
Meanwhile, Mark McGhee, the Scotland assistant manager, has backed the SFA’s stance and argued the armed forces deserve a show of respect for putting their lives on the line in defence of the country.
“I think it would be ridiculous if suddenly such a national institution wasn’t allowed,” McGhee said. “I can’t remember ever not doing it.
“I marvel at some of the feats that they take on. I watch the news every night and you see the danger that these guys are in, and we all owe them a great deal of gratitude, not only the ones who died in the wars but the ones who are out there today.
“I was playing golf yesterday while someone is fighting in wherever and putting themselves in the firing line, so I think they are due it.
“Sometimes in the airport I’ll maybe have a conversation with them and ask them where they’ve been. I think it’s a great thing they do.
“I think they appreciate it, and I don’t do it expecting them to recognise me, most of the time they don’t. It’s not like I’m seeking some sort of recognition.
“I just think that you see them there with their big packs and they’re uniforms then it’s worth saying thanks to these guys.”
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