Faeser, Infantino and "One Love": "It's not as bad as you think, is it?"

During the World Cup game between Germany and Japan, Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser (SPD) said she spoke to FIFA boss Gianni Infantino again about the "One Love" armband, which is banned on the field.

Faeser said in Berlin on Thursday that after a government official from Qatar failed to appear in the stands on Wednesday, she was offered the seat next to Infantino.

"Then he also asked me about the pad, whether that's the pad, then I said to him, 'And it's not as bad as you think, is it?'"

She also told the FIFA boss "that I see FIFA's decision as a big mistake".

It is unbelievable what kind of pressure has been put on the football associations of the seven European countries so that this symbol of diversity is not worn on the pitch.

After the game, photos caused a stir and criticism on social media, showing Infantino standing next to Faeser and pointing at the armband with a smile.

As far as the promises made by the host Qatar before the World Cup are concerned, she was disappointed "that I now had to see that they are not being kept," said Faeser.

Fans reported to her, for example, that the rainbow flag had been taken from them by the police before entering the stadium.

The German players protested with their gesture on the pitch "and I expressed my protest by wearing the "One Love" bandage," said the minister responsible for top-class sport.

Heil and Paus praise the action of the DFB-Elf

Federal Labor Minister Hubertus Heil and Federal Family Minister Lisa Paus have meanwhile praised the DFB team for their gesture at the team photo before the World Cup game.

"I think it's good that the German team is sending a signal and I'll keep my fingers crossed for them," Heil said on Thursday on RTL and ntv's "Frühstart" program.

Above all, the SPD politician sharply criticized the behavior of the world association FIFA: "Of course there is a shadow over this World Cup and I believe that FIFA has done great, great damage".

She "rained out" many of the joy of football.

FIFA had banned the wearing of the "One Love" armband in the game under threat of sanctions.

Before the 2-1 defeat against Japan, the German national team covered their mouths in protest.

The Minister for Family Affairs also praised the gesture: "FIFA's decision to ban the DFB-Elf from wearing the "One Love" bandage leaves you speechless - but speechlessness can also set an example," Paus told the editorial network Germany (RND).

Covering your mouth is another strong and important gesture to stand up against discrimination and for equality and freedom of expression.

“Sport can make a difference.

Sport has a voice.

And it is heard, in Germany and around the world, even behind closed doors.

Luckily," said the Green politician.

Meanwhile, DFB Vice President Steffen Schneekloth sees the DFB's move away from wearing the "One Love" armband in Qatar as the right decision at this point in time.

"Association-political issues and disputes must not be carried out on the backs of the athletes," said the president of the second division football club Holstein Kiel the "Kieler Nachrichten".

"For every footballer who takes part in a World Cup, it is probably the biggest sporting event of his career.

That has to be respected.”

However, FIFA's announcement of sanctions seemed "arbitrary, landlord-like and non-transparent, like apparently many processes within FIFA," said the lawyer.

Schneekloth sees the DFB and the other Western European associations as partly to blame for the muddled situation.

"I think that the problem was not fully recognized in advance and it was perhaps naïve for the football associations to think that FIFA would not react to the announcement that they would wear the 'One Love' armband." Associations had previously “needed to publicly position themselves against possible sanctions announced by FIFA”.