ZURICH — The Norwegian national team and soccer federation will not be disciplined for players wearing T-shirts in support of human rights before a World Cup qualifying game, FIFA said Thursday.
White shirts with the slogan “HUMAN RIGHTS” and “Respect on and off the pitch” were worn before Norway’s game at Gibraltar on Wednesday after a promise to draw attention to labor rights abuses in Qatar, the host of next year’s World Cup.
FIFA’s disciplinary code states players and federations can face disciplinary action in cases of “using a sports event for demonstrations of a non-sporting nature.”
However, FIFA said it will not open a case against Norway.
“FIFA believes in the freedom of speech, and in the power of football as a force for good,” the governing body said in a statement.
Qatar, which won the World Cup hosting vote a decade ago, has been under scrutiny over laws and conditions for migrant workers helping to build infrastructure for the tournament.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino said last week Qatar has made social progress because of becoming the World Cup host.
Some of Norway’s soccer clubs have called for a boycott of the World Cup.
National team coach Stale Solbakken said ahead of the Gibraltar game that his team “can do things that the world might see” to put pressure on Qatar.
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