Footballer Sam Morsy chose not to wear LGBTQ+ rainbow armband ‘due to religious beliefs’
Captain Sam Morsy of Ipswich Town. (Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images)
Ipswich Town captain Sam Morsy chose not to wear an LGBTQ+ rainbow armband in support of the community because of his religious beliefs, his club has confirmed.
Over the weekend, all Premier League teams took part in Stonewall’s Rainbow Laces campaign, which has been shown to have improved the attitudes of sports fans towards the LGBTQ+ community.
As part of the campaign, team captains wore a rainbow armband. Morsy, who led the Tractor Boys during their 1-0 loss to Nottingham Forest, was the only one of 20 skippers not to do so.
“Ipswich Town Football Club is committed to being a fully inclusive club that welcomes everyone,” an official statement said. “We proudly support the Premier League’s Rainbow Laces campaign and stand with the LGBTQ+ community in promoting equality and acceptance.
“At the same time, we respect the decision of our captain Sam Morsy, who has chosen not to wear the rainbow captain’s armband due to his religious beliefs. We will continue to grow an environment where all are valued and respected, both on and off the pitch.”
Morsy plays as a defensive midfielder for Ipswich Town. Born in Wolverhampton, he also plays for the Egypt national squad in international competition.
Last year, footballers at the women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand were banned from wearing rainbow armbands by governing body FIFA. However, some players found subtle ways to show their support for the LGBTQ+ community.
The armband also created controversy during the men’s Wold Cup in Qatar the year before, when a number of national teams planned to wear it, only backing down after threats of heavy sanctions by FIFA.
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