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04th Dec 2024

Marc Guehi will face no formal action over ‘Jesus loves you’ message on armband

Charlie Herbert

It was the second time he wrote on the rainbow armband

Marc Guehi is not set to face any formal action for writing ‘Jesus loves you’ on his rainbow armband.

The Crystal Palace captain wrote a religious message on the armband for the second time ahead of his side’s match against Ipswich last night.

This came after he wrote ‘I love Jesus’ on the armband for Palace’s match against Newcastle on Sunday.

Following this, he was reminded of the FA’s rules which prohibit any religious messaging being written on kit.

Now, Sky News reports that the FA will do the same thing following last night’s match, and will not formally charge Guehi.

Premier League captains were issued with the rainbow armbands for their sides’ fixtures last weekend as part of Stonewall’s Rainbow Laces campaign, which supports LGBTQ+ inclusion in sport.

Players are wearing the armbands again for the midweek games, with the campaign running until 5 December.

Although Guehi wore the armband, he was issued with a warning by the FA on Tuesday after he wrote “I love Jesus” on it for Palace’s match against Newcastle United.

The FA reminded him and the club that religious messaging on kit is banned, but chose not to charge the 24-year-old.

Rule A4 of the association’s kit and advertising regulations states that the “appearance on, or incorporation in, any item of clothing, football boots or other equipment of any religious message” is prohibited.

Guehi seemingly ignored the warning though, as he once again wrote a message, reading “Jesus loves you” on the armband for his side’s trip to Ipswich.

Speaking after the game at Portman Road, which finished 1-0 to Palace, the Eagles’ manager Oliver Glasner urged people to stay “calm” about the issue.

He told Amazon Prime: “Everyone now is about integration, no discrimination and Marc as well.

“We all have the same opinion. We are in sports and in sports we are always against discrimination and any kind of abuse, and Marc as well.”

Glasner revealed he had spoken to Guehi before the match, and said the defender is “not a child.”

He continued: “He has his opinion and we accept and respect every opinion.

“This is the quote of this campaign, it’s being tolerant and Marc is very tolerant so everything is fine.”

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