Marc Guehi to face no formal action from FA over 'Jesus' message on rainbow armband

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Evening Standard

·4 December 2024

Marc Guehi to face no formal action from FA over 'Jesus' message on rainbow armband

Crystal Palace captain wore armband with hand-written religious message on it

Marc Guehi will not be charged by the Football Association after flouting rules prohibiting religious messages on kits for the second time.

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Guehi wore a rainbow-coloured captain’s armband against Newcastle on Saturday, with a hand-written message on it which read ‘I love Jesus’.

The FA wrote to Guehi and Crystal Palace on Tuesday to remind them of the Laws of the Game, but Guehi ignored the advice and wrote ‘Jesus [heart emoji] you’ on his armband for Tuesday’s 1-0 win at Ipswich.

Standard Sport understands no formal action will be taken against Palace or Guehi, a devout Christian, despite the Englishman continuing to ignore the regulations.

Rainbow-coloured armbands were issued to the 20 Premier League clubs for matches last weekend and in this week’s midweek round of fixtures as part of the Stonewall campaign in support of the LGBTQ+ community.

The Laws of the Game Rule A4 states in full: “The appearance on, or incorporation in, any item of clothing, football boots or other equipment of any distasteful, threatening, abusive, indecent, insulting, discriminatory or otherwise ethically or morally offensive message, or any political or religious message, is prohibited. The advertising of tobacco products is prohibited.”

After the Ipswich match, Guéhi took to Instagram where he wrote: “Jesus [loves] you. Stay blessed.”

Ipswich captain Sam Morsy, a practising Muslim, opted to wear a plain armband rather than the rainbow armband. The FA consider that a club matter.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, Guehi’s father John, a church minister, insisted his son “didn’t offend anyone” and that it “isn’t fair he should be singled out just for showing his religious beliefs.”