Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi to face no formal action over 'Jesus' message on armband

4 December 2024, 11:12 | Updated: 4 December 2024, 13:24

Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi is to face no formal action after displaying a Christian message on his captain's armband, Sky News understands.

"I love Jesus" was written on the footballer's Premier League-issued LGBTQ+ campaign rainbow armband during a match at the weekend.

The laws of football prohibit any religious messaging appearing on kit.

He then wore another stating "Jesus loves you" during a game against Ipswich on Tuesday night, but it is understood the FA will still not take action.

Both he and his club have been reminded of kit regulations, which state that the appearance of any religious messaging on clothing, boots or any other equipment is banned under Rule A4.

Captains have been wearing rainbow armbands in the last two rounds of Premier League matches, as part of the Rainbow Laces campaign, which offers support to the LGBTQ+ community.

It is not compulsory for captain's to wear the armbands - individual players can make their own choices.

Last weekend, Ipswich's Sam Morsy was the only captain to opt out of wearing it, due to his religious beliefs as a practising Muslim.

Ipswich Town FC has said it is "committed to being a fully inclusive club that welcomes everyone" but that it respects its captain's decision due to his "religious beliefs".

Man Utd player did not want to wear Rainbow Laces jacket

Manchester United dropped plans to wear an Adidas jacket in support of the LGBTQ+ community before Sunday's home fixture against Everton.

The club had planned to wear a jacket in support of the Rainbow Laces campaign during the walk out but this was abandoned after a player said they did not want to wear them.

Rainbow Devils supporters group said: "We respect the right of this player to have his own views, whilst also feeling disappointed that he put the rest of the squad into a position where they felt that they couldn't wear their jackets.

"We also worry what kind of negative effect this incident might have on any player at the club who may be struggling with their sexuality.

"Rainbow Devils will continue to work with Manchester United to support inclusivity, through the One Love initiative and others, as we all continue our work to ensure all LGBTQ+ people feel safe and welcome at Old Trafford, both on and off the pitch."

The Athletic reported that defender Noussair Mazraoui did not want to wear the jackets, citing his Muslim faith as the reason and the team decided that no players would wear it.

A United statement said: "Manchester United welcomes fans from all backgrounds, including members of the LGBTQ+ community, and we are strongly committed to the principles of diversity and inclusion.

"We demonstrate these principles through a range of activities, including support for our Rainbow Devils supporters' club, and campaigns to celebrate our LGBTQ+ fans and combat all forms of discrimination.

"Players are entitled to hold their own individual opinions, particularly in relation to their faith, and these may sometimes differ from the club's position."