Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi will receive no formal action despite appearing to ignore a warning from the Football Association over religious messaging on equipment. The England defender referred to Jesus again on his Pride-themed rainbow armband despite suggestions that the FA had written to him and his club over the weekend.
Guehi is one of 19 Premier League captains who wore the rainbow armband during the Premier League’s Rainbow Laces campaign at the weekend and for this week’s fixtures. But the 24-year-old had written ‘I [heart] Jesus’ on the accessory ahead of Palace’s 1-1 draw with Newcastle on Saturday.
Football’s laws prevent religious messaging from appearing on equipment. It is understood that the FA contacted Guehi and his club to remind them of the regulations.
Despite that, Guehi emerged for Palace’s clash with Ipswich Town on Tuesday with a new message written on the armband. ‘Jesus [heart] you’, it read, with a smiley face.
Express Sport understands that the FA will take no formal action but they have reminded Palace of the kit regulations that are in place.
On Tuesday, Guehi came up against Ipswich’s Sam Morsy, the only Premier League captain who refused to wear the armband. The British-born Egypt international cited his Muslim faith as the reason. Ipswich said they ‘respected’ his decision but are “committed to being a fully inclusive club that welcomes everyone”.
The Rainbow Laces campaign celebrates and encourages LGBTQ+ inclusion.
It comes following reports that Manchester United’s players abandoned plans to wear a Pride-themed Adidas walk-out jacket ahead of their 4-0 victory over Everton on Sunday. The Athletic reports that the decision was made by the players hours before the game after Noussair Mazraoui – a practising Muslim – raised religious concerns.
United’s players are said to have concluded that none of them would wear the jacket so that the defender was not alone, a decision that is reported to have received a mixed reception inside the dressing room.
While at his previous club Bayern Munich, Mazraoui spoke out in support of his Morocco team-mate Zakaria Aboukhlal, who had refused to take part in Ligue 1’s LGBTQ+ rights campaign while at Toulouse. Bayern fans subsequently raised a banner which read: “All colours are beautiful. In Toulouse, Munich and everywhere. Respect our values Mazraoui!”
The report claims that Adidas were disappointed that United’s players did not wear the walk-out jacket.
