Perfectly put, excellent and correct post!

I wear the poppy to respect and remember my uncle, my brother and any and all - most conscripted - servicemen etc who died doing their duty. Are those that grabbed the poppy for their own ends the same that took over the flag of England and made that racist? well, there you go then.

So you think it is okay that Fifa can fine us because spectators are wearing poppies? Seriously?

They set the rules that political badges cannot be worn. There is a clear definition of what the poppy stands for, and it isn't political.

Well said. That's exactly what it's all about.

why are you feigning disbelief, we`ve had these words countless times in this thread already and you know what my opinion is on it.

Excellent post. Very well said.

I salute you.

What the Poppy Police on this, and other threads fail to see, is that this is not all about us. This, as far as FIFA are concerned, is about the wider global picture and setting a precedent that others will exploit with distinctly dishonourable intentions. And they will claim that their cause is an exception to the rule too.

We have become so inward looking and introspective we no longer see that there is a world out there. The game of football is global and what FIFA allows one country to do, can open a whole pandoras box of trouble.

Would, say, Americans be happy having to play against an Iranian team wearing an emblem that "honours the Martyrs of Islam".... who Americans see as 9/11 terrorists.

The British go completely gaga at the first sign of a poppy. We just completely lose all reason and see nothing beyond the tips of our noses. We are utterly, utterly blinkered where this thing is concerned and we genuinely, truly, totally believe that we and we alone have a God-given right to automatic exemption from any rule that is seen in any way as preventing us from our ritual on-your-knees worship of this emblem.

But of course, as in all matters 'poppy', it is good old Blighty that is the only one marching in step. Everybody else is out of step.

The FIFA rule on political symbols is a proper and sensible one. And regardless of what we think about it's "politicality", there is no doubting that beyond the shores of our realm, the rest of the world DOES see it as political.

We are not the special case we think we are.

good luck.

there`s some kind of weird, arrogant, blindness that descends over football fans.

Then perhaps FIFA can present a written case explaining why they believe it's a political symbol. They can also explain why they are dictating to fans what they can and cannot wear and display in the stadium. I'm sure that wouldn't be outwith their collective intellect - hopefully not anyway.

Sorry, but if a rule, or rather the interpretation of a rule, is shite then it should be challenged, and this one is. We shouldn't bow down to some tuppeny ha'penny corrupt little outfit and accept everything they say, just because they say it. Sod that.

have you emailed them or set up a petition or anything? they might not be reading this.

I don't need to. I'm pretty sure the home country's FA's will be doing so, or similar, in their appeals.

In the meantime three cheers for the PM - link

And it's not political....

so despite your ranting on here you`re actually not that bothered.

on a scale of 1 to 10 how political would you say the office of prime minister is?

No, but then the PM can comment on matters not political, and does so.

And in the commons...sorry your non political argument is lost.

Just because a politician comments on something doesn't mean what they're talking about automatically becomes a political symbol.

I remember Harold Wilson talking about The Beatles.

You seem to be suggesting that FIFA are honourable people who only want to do the right thing.

Of course, fining us for our fans wearing the poppy is right, whilst at the same time they award the world cup to Russia and Qatar. Obviously those awards were all above board.

Does that mean all other sports are bad for not caring about the poppy being worn?

Your example of Islamic honours, which doesn't exist anyway, is ridiculous, because that is honouring killers, whereas the poppy isn't.

The best thing would be to just not pay the "fines" and have nothing further to do with FIFA.

You don't have to watch or see the world cup you know.

Before the England- Scotland match, the FA held a miltary ceremony with serving soldiers in uniform on the pitch, wreaths being laid and the Last Post being sounded. I'm surprised that people cannot see this would be very problematic for FIFA in the context of it being a sporting occasion held under their rules.

No, not at all. Why should they have a problem with it. Their rules state no political symbols - commemorating those who lost their lives is not political.

Any amount of discussion in the commons does not make the poppy a political symbol, any more than the PM expressing sympathy for the victims of a natural disaster makes that disaster a poltical event.

Exactly.

This is the definition from the British Legion, and this is what it has been about for 100 years.

Agreed. There was no opposition to the PM's comments - not one person stood up to present a counter-argument. The incident hardly positioned the poppy in the centre of a political debate.