FIFA bans 'slogan, image' on players' undies even if 'good-natured'

FIFA has banned players from displaying any 'slogan' or 'image' on undergarments even if they are meant to be 'good-natured' ahead of this year's World Cup.

The ban, which would be in effect from June 1, would bar players from displaying personal slogans and it would be up to the competition authorities to decide the action to be taken if the rule was broken, the report added

According to the Independent, FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke said that there could be no slogan or image whatsoever on the players' undergarments, after the proposal was accepted by the International Football Association Board (IFAB).

Although the chief executive of the Welsh FA Jonathan Ford had accepted that an outright ban could be considered a 'little bit churlish', however he added that it was easier for them to say that it had no place in the game as it is difficult to determine what is right and wrong between different countries due to different languages.

Players have used personal messages on shirts to pay tribute to deceased colleagues, as well as light-hearted or humanitarian slogans, but defending the ban the Football Association said that the idea was to get some consistency in the image of the game.