England's football team was blasted after their U-turn on wearing anti-discrimination armbands at the World Cup in Qatar on Monday.

England’s easy option

The ‘One Love’ armbands carry rainbow colours to promote inclusivity and in support of LGBTQ+ rights. England, Wales, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Switzerland and Denmark all planned to wear the armbands - but then collectively dropped the gesture after FIFA warned players could be suspended, as the armband was not officially sanctioned.

If ever there were a time when rainbow armbands might be regarded as other than vain displays of virtue signalling, it would be in Qatar, where gay people truly do face serious discrimination, oppression and persecution. When it’s easy, such as in Western countries, players signal their support of LGBT rights, but when it might cost a yellow card – which was the penalty should they have gone ahead – then they give in.

If ever there were a time when rainbow armbands might be regarded as other than vain displays of virtue signalling, it would be in Qatar, where gay people truly do face serious discrimination, oppression and persecution.

Instead, the England team decided on the ‘easy’ option – “the ultimate empty gesture” – of ‘taking the knee’. This act was originally a show of support for Black Lives Matter, but has more recently been turned into a general show of support of human rights.

Two World Cups

Mick Hume of Spiked says there are two World Cups; one, focusing on the game of football, and another, “new woke World Cup – a culture war played out in the media (but projected towards the pitch)”, where “Qatar is a convenient stage on which to strike virtuous poses against homophobia or racism, while the players are reduced to (sometimes willing) pawns in a political game.

The woke World Cup, Hume claims “could be as important as the outcome of the football tournament itself. Because if the woke version wins, it could destroy the integrity and excitement of football just as effectively as the trans lobby is undermining women’s sport”.

Iran

The real heroes in the opening days of the Cup appear to be the Iranian football team.

The real heroes in the opening days of the Cup appear to be the Iranian football team.

Iran’s players declined to sing their own national anthem while their fans booed it – all in protest of the notorious crackdown by Iranian authorities on their people which has left 378 people dead, including 44 children. As Iran’s football captain said: “The conditions in our country are not right and our people are not happy.”

Sadly, the Iranian team is likely to face the wrath of the Islamic state’s rulers on their return home.

Question and challenge

Women can’t work, study or travel in Qatar without a man’s permission. They have no legal protection against domestic abuse or rape – and are not even guardians of their own children – putting them at the mercy of their husbands (who may have multiple wives), fathers and brothers. Yet who is wearing armbands in their support?

There’s a challenge there for us as Christians, too – are we virtue-signalling believers? Do we only make a stand for Jesus when it’s easy; or are we prepared to stand for Him in the tough times, when it’s likely to cost us something?

Lord, keep us from shallow, virtue-signalling Christianity.