Why Sam Morsy refused to wear rainbow armband as Ipswich Town release statement
Ipswich Town have defended the decision of Sam Morsy not to wear a rainbow armband because of the captain's "religious beliefs".Egyptian midfielder Sam Morsy decided against taking part in the Rainbow Laces campaign during his side's 1-0 defeat at Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
It's understood the 33-year-old was the only one of the Premier League's 20 skippers not to have worn the LGBT+ armband, although the top-flight bosses say it's not compulsory and instead is down to the individual.Now, Ipswich have released a statement explaining that Morsy's decision was down to religious reasons, with the player being practising Muslim, as the club underlined their own commitment to LGBT+ inclusion.A club spokesperson said: "Ipswich Town Football Club is committed to being a fully inclusive club that welcomes everyone.
We proudly support the Premier League’s Rainbow Laces campaign and stand with the LGBTQ+ community in promoting equality and acceptance."During this year’s campaign, members of the club’s men’s and women’s first-teams visited our Foundation’s weekly LGBTQ+ football session, while the club also made a joint pledge of solidarity and inclusivity alongside Nottingham Forest ahead of Saturday’s game.
A range of further initiatives are planned around Tuesday’s home game with Crystal Palace, including a takeover of the stadium's big screen in the moments prior to kick-off."At the same time, we respect the decision of our captain Sam Morsy, who has chosen not to wear the rainbow captain’s armband, due to his religious beliefs.
