I have to wonder if FIFA has something against the Cameroons or at least the fashion advisors for their national strip. About six years ago at the Africa Nations Cup, the Cameroon team turned out in sleeveless shirts. You might think this was sensible playing in the heat of the African summer. Not so FIFA, who at the next International FA Board meeting, demanded that sleeveless shirts be banned in the Laws of the Game.
At the last Africa Nations Cup, Cameroons experimented with all-in-one suits, that is to say combined shirts and shorts. Very similar to those worn these days by male athletes, unlike female athletes whose kit seems to be getting skimpier, which FIFA President Sepp Blatter once famously suggested that women footballers' kit should be, to make their game more watchable.
FIFA however stepped in again. In this year's changes to the
Laws of the Game, which came out early this season to be in place for the World Cup, there was an addition to Law 4 - Players Equipment. It now says 'The basic compulsory equipment of a player consists of the following separate items of jersey or shirt, shorts, stockings, shinguards and footwear.' The explanation we are given is and I quote, 'This ensures that the basic equipment must consist of separate garments and therefore a player's jersey and shorts may not be joined together in any way. This outlaws the all-in-one body suit used by the Cameroon national team.'
You may ask why, but I doubt whether anyone will campaign against it. That's more than can be said about another decree received by referees prior to the season about Law 4. This was not a change to the law but an instruction from the FA. Probably the most important clause in this law says, 'A player must not use equipment or wear anything which is dangerous to himself or another player, including any kind of jewellery'.
For many years players were allowed to tape jewellery but this was not felt to offer enough protection and referees were instructed that all jewellery must be removed. The only exception was a plain wedding ring, which nevertheless had to be taped. The letter we received this year from the FA, said that this was no longer permitted and that wedding rings must also be removed or the player could not be allowed to play.
I must say this gave me cause for concern. I know this ruling only applies to players and not to referees but after wearing it for 46 years, my wedding ring won't come off my now obviously fatter finger. What was I going to do when faced with a player in the same position? Suggest he gets a pair of wire cutters if he wants to
play?
It turns out I was not the only one with misgivings over this instruction. Another letter has since been sent out by the FA which says, 'After receiving feedback from County Football Associations, Leagues, Clubs and Referees and taking consideration their concerns, it has decided to issue the following amendment to the earlier letter. 'A player, who can satisfy the referee prior to the game, that their plain wedding band is unable to be removed, will be allowed to cover it with tape.' It goes on to say that this applies to wedding bands only, as it recognised that sometimes through the passage of time, they become extremely difficult to remove.
The only problem is that this letter was tucked inside the County FA handbook so if a referee has not opened the handbook he could have missed the retraction. For players however, they can rest assured, that although they can't turn out in sleeveless shirts or a one piece suit (if they ever wanted to) they can at least still wear their wedding ring.
Dick Sawdon Smith
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© R Sawdon Smith 2006