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Football London
Football London
Sport
Tom Coley

Netherlands make OneLove armband U-turn as England and FA await FIFA 'punishment' decision

The Netherlands have announced that they won't be wearing the OneLove armband in solidarity with LGBTQ+ and marginalised groups after FIFA confirmed that Virgil van Dijk and other players would receive punishment for doing so.

The decision comes as England are set to make their own call on the situation after FIFA revealed that the symbol would be greeted with 'sporting sanctions' - a yellow card - as well as a fine.

Van Dijk had originally said he would wear it, but the threat of playing with a booking would force a rethink. In a statement put out on the morning of Netherlands' match against Senegal and England vs Iran, the KNVB said: "The Dutch football association regrets that it was not possible to jointly come to a reasonable solution.

READ MORE: Chelsea star Ruben Loftus-Cheek may face anxious World Cup wait amid England injury issue

"We stand for the OneLove message and will continue to spread it, but our first priority at the World Cup is winning the games. Then you don't want the captain to start the game with a yellow card.

"But that FIFA wants to punish us on the field for this has never been seen before. This goes against the spirit of our sport, which connects millions of people. In the coming period, we will take a critical look at our relationship with FIFA together with the other countries involved. "

The Dutch also said that they would pay any fine for wearing the armband, as did FA CEO Mark Bullingham, but the threat of being punished on the pitch has seen them make also consider a U-turn on the matter.

Van Dijk himself had previously said: "I will wear the one love armband tomorrow (Monday). Nothing changed from our point of view. If I will get a yellow card for wearing it then we would have to discuss it because I don't like to play while being on a yellow [card]."

An official announcement from England is yet to come at the time of writing.

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