Whatever reputation FIFA had remaining heading into the World Cup in Qatar, it has absolutely tanked in recent days.
Some of the moves they have made in recent days have been horrendous. Be it Gianni Infantino's ridiculous speech, their banning of beer at stadiums at the last minute, or telling everyone to 'keep politics out of football', their behaviour has been abhorrent.
The latest example came in the discussion around the 'one love' armbands. The captains of a number of nations had been set to sport the bands at the tournament in protest of the treatment of the LGBTQ+ community in Qatar, including those of England and Wales.
However, FIFA would this morning ban the armbands and threatened that any player who did wear them would be punished with a yellow card. As a result, all of the teams involved in the movement backtracked on their previous commitment.
While many feel they were left with little choice but to do so, others feel they should have stuck to their guns.
Roy Keane says Kane & Bale should have stood up to FIFA
Harry Kane and Gareth Bale, as captains of England and Wales respectively, were two of the names that were set to wear the armbands, only for both to fail to do so after the FIFA threats.
That is a move that Roy Keane did not agree with.
Speaking on ITV, the Irishman said that both captains should have stood up to the authorities and taken their punishment from FIFA in order to back the cause if they truly believed in it.
"That would have been a great statement!" 🙌
Roy Keane believes the England squad should have worn the One Love armband and taken any punishment that came their way...
🗣️ @markpougatch #ITVFootball | #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/P5TNTaq5v2— ITV Football (@itvfootball) November 21, 2022
I think the players could have done it for the first game and took the punishment, whatever that might be.
You're risking that he's going to get a yellow card if that's the punishment, but that would have been a great statement. Do it for the first game and if you get the yellow card, what a message that would have been for Kane or Bale.
Take your medicine and then move on, don't wear it in the next game because you don't want to be getting suspended.
I think both players, and we're talking about Wales and England here, should have stuck to their guns and done it. Whatever about the pressure from outside and their own associations, if that's what you believe then go with it.
While playing with a yellow card would not have been ideal, it would have made quite the statement. It would have highlighted FIFA's farcical handling of this and other issues and shown this tournament for what it has become up to this point.
It may only be a couple of days old, but many are already growing tired of the antics of this in charge of running this tournament.
SEE ALSO: FIFA Have Seemingly Already Started Lying About Attendances At Qatar World Cup
