Supporters of the England football team might face the removal of their flags during the opening match of the World Cup against Croatia at Dallas Stadium on Wednesday.
Sources indicate that the England Supporters Club (ESC) has been informed by stadium officials that fans will be prohibited from hanging flags over the LED advertising boards surrounding the field. Only small flags that can be affixed to rails behind the goals will be permitted.
The ESC has organized several large banners and flags to be displayed in the end zone, but casual fans attempting to bring in their own flags are likely to have them confiscated.
According to FIFA sources, the restriction on displaying flags over LED signage is in place for “safety and security reasons”
During a recent match that ended in a 2-2 draw, several Dutch and Japanese fans had their flags taken at Dallas Stadium, although there were no similar issues reported at other venues.
FIFA’s tournament guide for supporters states.
“Small flags, banners and posters made of a fire-resistant material are allowed in the stadium. Larger flags, banners, posters or instruments must be approved in advance.”
The governing body also prohibits flags that are deemed “that are of a political, offensive and/or discriminatory nature” Recently, FIFA secured a court ruling in Los Angeles to prevent Iranian fans from bringing the pre-revolutionary flag into matches, labeling it a political symbol.
Ronan Evain, executive director of Football Supporters Europe, expressed concerns about the inconsistent enforcement of FIFA’s policies. “You were not really allowed to bring a flag in, or at least to show it, which is inconsistent with most Fifa rules and regulations, but also what was allowed at previous tournaments,” Evain noted. “Most of the flags were removed by the staff. “At a lot of the stadiums it hasn’t been a problem, so it’s hard to understand what is the actual policy and what is improvisation by the staff locally with the rules that they now have. The broader problem – and I think it’s a demonstration of how much Fifa has little control over this tournament – is that there’s no consistent rule, and when you look at what Fifa has published, there’s a code of conduct that is very broad. “But it never clarified a lot of things, like what sort of symbols are allowed and not allowed? Are you able to bring a flag of your region or city or club? A lot of this is still up in the air, and I think there’s a bit of learning by the venues, but also, again, inconsistency.”
“At many of the stadiums, it hasn’t been a problem, so it’s difficult to understand what the actual policy is and what is simply improvisation by local staff with the rules they currently have. The larger issue — and it illustrates FIFA’s limited control over this tournament — is that there’s no consistent rule, and when you review what FIFA has published, there’s a very broad code of conduct.
“However, it never clarifies many points, such as what types of symbols are permissible. Can you bring a flag representing your region, city, or club? Much of this remains uncertain, and it appears there’s a learning curve for the venues, along with a lack of consistency.”
