BELIEVE IT OR NOT ' SHOCKING '

BELIEVE IT OR NOT ' SHOCKING '

The Full list of charges


' WALES YOUR CHARGED FOR FANS WEARING POPPIES/A SOLDIER HOLDING A POPPY '

Believe it or not, charge sheet thrown at Wales even includes fans wearing poppies at Cardiff City Stadium By FIFA.

Media Wales

24th November 2016

The full details of Fifa's shock disciplinary action against Wales over poppies has been revealed - and it even involves fans wearing them on the night against Serbia.

Fifa bosses have announced they have opened proceedings against Wales following a number of poppy incidents at the November 12 World Cup qualifier at Cardiff City Stadium.

Almost unbelievably, one of the issues Fifa have raised is the fact that some fans entered the ground wearing poppies. The game was played 24 hours after Armistice Day and ahead of Remembrance Sunday.

The FA of Wales say they will robustly defend themselves against the charges.

The incidents under investigation, as detailed in communication from Fifa to the FAW, include:

* Some supporters in the stands wearing the poppy

* A member of the armed forces was holding a bunch of poppies at the entrance/exit of the players' tunnel

* A fans' mosaic depicting the poppy was displayed during the Welsh national anthem

* A banner depicting the poppy was also displayed by Wales supporters before the match started.

Wales manager Chris Coleman stands with military personnel before the match against Serbia
Military personnel with poppy wreaths before the Wales v Serbia match (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
It is unclear exactly what the last matter refers to.

The mosaic, referred to in point three, was created at the Grange End of the ground, when thousands of fans held up cards to create the spectacular sight of a giant poppy.

A Fifa disciplinary panel will discuss the matter on December 9. The FAW have until next Tuesday (November 29) to provide a statement and relevant evidence.

The fact they are being held to account for some fans in a 30,000-plus crowd wearing poppies as a mark of respect is particularly mind-boggling. How are the FAW meant to police that, even if they wanted to?

Norwegian match delegate Karl Espen Eriksen was Fifa's commissioner at the fixture and compiled the official report into what happened.

The FAW stand by their actions, saying they wanted to pay their respects on Armistice weekend "in a dignified and humble way, while at the same time respecting the rules and regulations of world footballs governing body Fifa."

Fifa regulations state political and commercial messages must not be worn on kit. Because of that, Chris Coleman's players reluctantly chose not to wear a poppy on black armbands.

FAW chief executive Jonathan Ford said of the Fifa action: “Naturally as an association we are disappointed and surprised at the news. Our intention was to show respect on Armistice weekend which we feel we did in the right and proper way.

"We also adhered to the rules and regulations of the competition and the communication from FIFA prohibiting the FAW request for the players to wear the poppy symbol on the armbands or the field of play.

Wales' manager Chris Coleman, Chris Gunter, Neil Taylor and Jonathan Williams put down wreaths at the Pontyclun war memorial on Remembrance Sunday (Photo: David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
"We are particularly disappointed that one of the charges concerns supporters in the stands wearing poppies. Naturally as an association we will strongly contest the charges.”

Action is also being taken against England and Scotland, who wore poppies on armbands in their Wembley clash, and Northern Ireland, who met Azerbaijan.

The four home nations will unite together to fight the Fifa action. As things stand they face the possibility of a fine, while a World Cup qualifying points deduction is the worst case scenario.

The new regime at FIFA, which is led by president Gianni Infantino and general secretary Fatma Samoura, appear determined to enforce the letter of the law when it comes to keeping what it sees as external distractions and potentially inflammatory messages out of the game.

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FIFA unbelievable the way they have reacted , charging the Welsh fa because fans were wearing Poppy's is ,
Total madness , they are a bunch of tinpot dictators .

So we have one of the world's most corrupt organisations telling Welsh people what they are allowed to wear to a Welsh football match being played in Wales.

Probably the most absurd thing I've heard in a long time,who are these idiots

Surely FIFA don't have a leg to stand on regarding fans wearing poppies or displaying a banner; that is nothing to do with the FAW and they haven't broken any ruling. I would be amazed if they managed to secure a case against what is the right of the individual and not the governing body.

They might have a very small case for the poppy mosaic or even the bunch of poppies under the letter of the law, but it would be a very mean spirited decision should the FAW be found "guilty"

These idiots (FIFA) have obviously forgotten that we were remembering our countrymen and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice or were wounded so that mainland europe was liberated from the Germans (Nazis is the preferred name nowadays). Utter T***s

I defended FIFA (and the FAW, for that matter) when this whole thing reared its head the other day, but it's difficult to not criticise them for taking issue with fans wearing poppies. How are the FAW meant to police that?! Laughable.

Surely FIFA don't have a leg to stand on regarding fans wearing poppies or displaying a banner; that is nothing to do with the FAW and they haven't broken any ruling. I would be amazed if they managed to secure a case against what is the right of the individual and not the governing body.

They might have a very small case for the poppy mosaic or even the bunch of poppies under the letter of the law, but it would be a very mean spirited decision should the FAW be found "guilty"

The poppy mosaic looks like a bit silly on the FAW's part now. They obviously felt that they had to do something substantial to make up for the absence of poppies on the players' armbands, and it's backfired. In hindsight, FIFA investigating them for it was inevitable.

Having lost family in Belfast serving in the royal regiment of Wales it gives us great pride that we can remember are fallen in all conflicts .fifa are nuts utter joke we didn't wear poppies on the players tops but get punishment for wearing em in the stands etc .
Fifa a joke

The cynic in me believes that FIFA are just looking for a way to fine the FAW so the can disperse the proceeds amongst their own board members

Well let's be honest as an organisation they are corrupt enough to do such a thing.

The cynic in me believes that FIFA are just looking for a way to fine the FAW so the can disperse the proceeds amongst their own board members

Well let's be honest as an organisation they are corrupt enough to do such a thing.

my fear is more that FIFA have found a way to discredit the IFAB, and possibly want to re structure it. the first step in perhaps having one UK FA and national side instead of the 4.which is something many at FIFA have wanted for years.