British soccer player Marc Guehi is speaking out after being reprimanded for writing “I Love Jesus” on an armband he wore during last weekend’s game.
The Crystal Palace team captain wrote the slogan on the LGBTQ rainbow captain armband he was told to wear during last Saturday’s game against Newcastle. Still, as soon as he stepped foot on the field, the Football Association reprimanded him for altering the official league LGBTQ armband and cited him for breaking rules banning religious displays.
The armband, part of the Premier League’s Rainbow Laces campaign to promote LGBTQ inclusion, runs until December 5. The campaign is in cooperation with the gay charity Stonewall.
ESPN has learned that Crystal Palace and England centre-back Marc Guéhi could face an English Football Association (FA) charge after writing "I love Jesus" on his rainbow-coloured captain's armband for Saturday's 1-1 draw at home to Newcastle United. pic.twitter.com/OQhDpK8P7Y
— ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) December 3, 2024
Ultimately, though, the FA decided not to fine or suspend Guehi for the armband stunt.
For his part, Guehi refuses to apologize or back down from his message.
“I think the message was pretty clear, to be honest,” Guehi told Sky Sports, according to the Daily Mail. “It was a message of love and truth as well, and a message of inclusivity, so I think it speaks for itself.”
The player’s father also spoke out.
“‘I am say, ing did he offend anyone? I don’t think so. I do believe in what the Bible says: Jesus loves everyone, and, in my opinion, Marc did not offend anyone with what he wrote,” John Guehi told the paper.
“Jesus loved everyone, so by saying ‘I love Jesus’ on his armband, I really don’t see what is offensive or what the problem is,” the elder Guehi added.
“If you look at what the LGBT community are doing, they are trying to impose on others what they believe in, it’s belief against belief, but at the end of the day everyone has the right to an opinion,” he continued. “But if that opinion’s aim is to offend you, then there is a problem, but if my opinion is just to express what I feel, then I think that is fine, and I don’t think what Marc wrote on that armband is offensive.”
“He is talking about him, he loves Jesus and like I said he didn’t refuse to wear that armband, like Morsy, people should pay more attention to the person who refused to wear it,” he said.
He was referring to the fact that Ipswich Town captain Sam Morsy refused to wear the LGBTQ armband. Another player, Noussair Mazraoui, also chose not to wear it. Both players are practicing Muslims.
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