February 10 – The Scottish FA is appealing against a CHF 20,000 fine imposed by FIFA after their players wore armbands featuring the poppy symbol as an act of remembrance during their Armistice Day match with England on November 11.
In a move widely criticised for lacking compassion, FIFA fined all four British home nations for their various poppy displays during World Cup qualifiers after ludicrously claiming the gestures breached their guidelines on displaying political symbols.
But the SFA has now followed its English counterpart, which was fined CHF 45,000, in contesting the punishment.
“We have received written reasons from FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee relating to the sanction imposed for commemorating Remembrance Day during the England v Scotland World Cup Qualifier on November 11, 2016,” the SFA said in a statement.
“Having considered those reasons in full, we have informed FIFA of our intention to appeal the decision.”
The Football Association of Wales later announced that it too will be appealing its FIFA sanction over its own poppy infractions.
Wales were fined CHF20,000 for commemorations prior to the World Cup qualifier against Serbia in November. On this occasion, FIFA took action because fans wore poppies in the stands and the armed forces held bunches of poppies at the side of the pitch.
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