Top US diplomat rips FIFA for punishing World Cup players who wear the 'One Love' armband promoting inclusion

• Blinken criticized FIFA for threatening to punish World Cup players who wear a "One Love" armband.
• The armband is meant to promote inclusivity and diversity.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken excoriated a decision by FIFA to threaten World Cup players with yellow cards if they wear "One Love" arm bands meant to promote "diversity and inclusion" during the tournament in Qatar, a close partner of the US in the Middle East that's intolerant of LGBTQ relationships and outlaws sexual acts between men.

At a press conference alongside Qatar's foreign minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, the top US diplomat said restrictions on freedom of expression are "always concerning."

"It's especially so when the expression is for diversity and for inclusion," Blinken added, "And in my judgment, at least no one on a football pitch should be forced to choose between supporting these values and playing for their team."

The captains of England, the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland, and Wales were all poised to wear the armbands, but in a joint statement on Monday the teams said they would not be participating in the "One Love" campaign.

"FIFA has been very clear that it will impose sporting sanctions if our captains wear the armbands on the field of play," the statement said, per ESPN. "As national federations, we can't put our players in a position where they could face sporting sanctions including bookings, so we have asked the captains not to attempt to wear the armbands in FIFA World Cup games."

"We were prepared to pay fines that would normally apply to breaches of kit regulations and had a strong commitment to wearing the armband. However, we cannot put our players in the situation where they might be booked or even forced to leave the field of play," the statement went on to say. The nations decried the FIFA decision as "unprecedented" and said they were "very frustrated."

The decision to hold the World Cup in Qatar has been mired in controversy due to an array of issues, ranging from the treatment of migrant workers to the Middle Eastern country's anti-LGBTQ laws. Fans wearing clothing featuring rainbows, a symbol of support for the LGBTQ community, have reported being prevented from entering World Cup stadiums in Qatar. FIFA, soccer's global governing body, previously said fans were "welcome to express themselves; they are welcome to express their love for their partners."

FIFA did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Insider.