Ipswich star Sam Morsy doubles down on Rainbow armband refusal after Premier League stance
Sam Morsy refused to wear a Rainbow armband in support of LGBT+ inclusion in Ipswich's defeat to Nottingham Forest on Saturday and repeated that stance for Tuesday's visit of Crystal Palace
by Jacob Leeks · The MirrorSam Morsy has again refused to wear a Rainbow captain's armband for Ipswich's clash against Crystal Palace.
Mirror Football revealed on Monday that the midfielder had declined to wear the armband in support of Rainbow Laces against Nottingham Forest due to religious reasons. The Rainbow Laces campaign supports the inclusion of the LGBT+ community, who have traditionally faced a homophobic attitude from sport.
Morsy, a practicing Muslim, refused to wear a Rainbow armband in his side's defeat at Forest on Saturday, their first game held during this year's Rainbow Laces period. Ipswich hosted Palace on Tuesday night for their designated Rainbow Laces game, but Morsy again wore a normal captain's armband, rather than the Rainbow edition.
Following his refusal against Forest, Ipswich pointed to religious reasons as being behind Morsy's decision, although he has previously worn shirts sponsored by gambling companies. The Egyptian was the only one of the 20 Premier League captains to not wear the Rainbow armband over the weekend.
In a statement to Mirror Football, a club spokesperson explained Morsy's stance after the Forest match and said: "Ipswich Town Football Club is committed to being a fully inclusive club that welcomes everyone. We proudly support the Premier League’s Rainbow Laces campaign and stand with the LGBTQ+ community in promoting equality and acceptance.
"During this year’s campaign, members of the club’s men’s and women’s first-teams visited our Foundation’s weekly LGBTQ+ football session, while the club also made a joint pledge of solidarity and inclusivity alongside Nottingham Forest ahead of Saturday’s game.
"A range of further initiatives are planned around Tuesday’s home game with Crystal Palace, including a takeover of the stadium's big screen in the moments prior to kick-off.
"At the same time, we respect the decision of our captain Sam Morsy, who has chosen not to wear the rainbow captain’s armband, due to his religious beliefs. We will continue to grow an environment where all are valued and respected, both on and off the pitch."
New research from Stonewall has found one in five LGBTQ+ people (21 percent) who attended a live sporting event in the last year felt discriminated against because of being LGBTQ+. That figure rises for Black, Asian and minority ethnic LGBTQ+ people, with one in three of that group who attended a live sport event in the last year report experiencing discrimination.
The Premier League and FA confirmed earlier on Tuesday that they would be taking no action against Morsy over his decision. Palace skipper Marc Guehi meanwhile received a formal reprimand for writing 'I love Jesus' over his Rainbow armband in Saturday's draw with Newcastle.
Ipswich's LGBT+ supporters group admitted they had been left 'disappointed' in Morsy. In a statement to Mirror Football, the group said: "While Rainbow Tractors were aware in advance of the decision, we are disappointed that Sam Morsy chose to not wear the rainbow armband in support of the Rainbow Laces campaign.
"Rainbow Laces is a great campaign that supports with LGBTQ+ inclusion, and is an important one for fans and players within the community to know they are welcome in football. We do, however, continue to respect his religious beliefs as we have done in previous seasons."
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