Governing Bodies
Qatar 2022 build-up: How the famous yellow football shirt has become politicised
When the much-awaited Brazil 2022 World Cup shirt was released in August, student João Vitor Gonçalves de Oliveira rushed to get his hands on the kit.
The 20-year-old went to the nearest store, grabbed the famous yellow and green top and took it to the till, where he was met with an excited smile.
“The shop owner assumed I support the current government because I was buying the shirt, and started to rage against left-wing candidate Lula,” João tells the BBC.
João does not support the government of Jair Bolsonaro, who is standing for re-election on Sunday. But buying the shirt, he realised in the store, could make people think he did.
In order to avoid confrontation, João pretended to be a Bolsonaro supporter. It was another sign that the yellow and green shirt – made famous by Pele, Ronaldo, and many others – has become a symbol of a divided nation.
“The shirt has become stained with political meaning since 2014,” says Mateus Gamba Torres, a history professor at the University of Brasília.
Eight years ago, millions of Brazilians took to the streets to protest against the then-President, Dilma Rousseff, dressed in the colours of the flag as they demanded the left-winger’s impeachment.
Then in 2018, the colours were again used by the current president – far-right Jair Bolsonaro.
This year too, green, yellow and blue are the key colours at Mr Bolsonaro’s rallies, with people wearing T-shirts, the national flag and accessories.
“The green and yellow shirt has become a symbol of those related to Bolsonaro’s government,” Mr Gamba Torres says, “which means a good part of the population no longer identify with it.”
João’s encounter with the shop owner is not the only reason he is now hesitant to talk politics. In Brazil, political disputes can seemingly get deadly.
In July, Marcelo Aloizio de Arruda – a supporter of former president and left-wing candidate Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva – was shot dead at his 50th birthday party, allegedly by a police officer shouting in support of right-wing President Bolsonaro.
Before he died, Mr Arruda retaliated and shot his alleged attacker – who spent some time in hospital before being sent to prison, where he awaits trial.
And on 9 September, 44-year-old Benedito Cardoso dos Santos was allegedly killed by a colleague, following a heated political discussion between the two. The 22-year-old suspect remains in police custody.
Tech programmer Ruy Araújo Souza Júnior, 43, tells BBC News he will only wear the shirt at home, to avoid being mistaken for a Bolsonaro supporter.
If ex-President Lula wins the election, he hopes the shirt will “once again unite us and symbolise true love of our country, not a political party”.
Left-wing candidate Lula has focused on “reclaiming” the flag. Several of his supporters, such as singer Ludmilla, international star Anitta, and rapper Djonga, have made a point of wearing the shirt during their performances.
Djonga, who was part of Nike’s official campaign for the Brazilian World Cup kit, told a crowd at one concert that wearing the shirt in public was an act of protest.
“They [Bolsonaro supporters] think everything is theirs, they appropriate the meaning of family, they appropriate our national anthem, they appropriate everything,” he said. “But here’s the truth: everything is ours, nothing is theirs.”
But it’s not just Mr Bolsonaro’s opponents who are wary of wearing the shirt.
“I’m a patriot and right-wing. I really want to vote wearing my yellow shirt,” says Bolsonaro supporter Alessandra Passos, 41.
But due to the tense environment between voters, she says, she is “afraid to wear it on voting day”.
But what do the footballers themselves think of the shirt becoming a political symbol? Brazil and Tottenham forward Richarlison says the connotations disconnect Brazilians from the shirt and the flag, taking away part of the country’s shared identity.
“As a fan, player and Brazilian, I do my best to spread the identification we have with them to the whole world. I believe it’s important to recognise that we are all Brazilians and have Brazilian blood [above anything else].”
And Nike’s advertising campaign for the new shirt features personalities from different sides of the political spectrum – focusing on togetherness as its main topic. The shirt, Nike says, is “collective. It represents more than 210 million Brazilians. It’s ours”.
The brand also banned the customisation of shirts with political references or religious terms. Yet many Brazilians still chose to purchase the blue away shirt instead, which sold out a few hours after its release.
Futsal (a form of indoor football popular in Brazil) coach Matheus Rocha, 28, tells BBC News he has decided to wear the blue shirt this year.
“I don’t feel any desire to wear the yellow shirt,” he says. “Actually, the idea of wearing it repulses me, I don’t even take my old ones out of my drawer. It’s a shame, because the shirt itself is gorgeous.”
He says the same sentiment was shared among his friendship group and colleagues. “RIP yellow shirt,” he says. “And I hope Brazil wins its sixth World Cup title in blue for the people.”
Although many share Matheus’s sentiments, the shirt is still popular with other football fans across the country.
Supporter group Movimento Verde e Amarelo (Green and Yellow movement) thinks the World Cup will help get Brazilians back behind the yellow shirt.
“We don’t agree with those who insist the Seleção’s yellow shirt is dead, it’s just sad to see it being used as an excuse for political clashes,” says Luiz Carvalho, founding member of the group.
“It makes no sense to say the yellow shirt doesn’t represent this or that politician when the whole idea behind it is exactly the opposite,” he adds.
“When our team enter the pitch, so does the pride we have as Brazilians. So whatever happens in the October polls, the love we share should prevail, as it always did.”
And yet, for some Bolsonaro supporters, the shirt has become an even bigger symbol of patriotic love – taking on a new life during his government.
“There was no sense of patriotism before Bolsonaro’s government, because leftist governments don’t wear our flag,” Adriana Moraes do Nascimento, 49, tells the BBC.
“Thank God our president loves Brazil and he has saved these values for us.”
To Adriana, the shirt used only refer to football and now shows love for the country.
“If the left wins the election, the flag will disappear once again,” she says. “Have you ever seen a flag in their hands? No. But that is not going to happen, as President Bolsonaro will win.”
This is the first time Brazil’s presidential election has been so closely aligned with the World Cup, both in its timeline and in social discussions.
Professor Gamba Torres says Brazilians need to disassociate the shirt with politics. “A shirt is just a shirt,” he says.
“Of course it has meanings, but it ultimately doesn’t represent one specific government. Governments come and go, but our country and our team will always exist.”
-BBC
The World Anti-Doping Agency is considering rewriting its rules to try barring President Donald Trump and all U.S. government officials from attending the LA Olympics in 2028, in a move that could also have implications for the World Cup being hosted by the U.S. this summer.
The proposal, on the agenda for next Tuesday’s meeting of the global drug-fighting watchdog’s executive committee, is the latest manoeuvre to come out of a yearslong refusal of the U.S. government to pay its annual dues to WADA.
The refusal is part of the American government’s unanimous, bipartisan protest of the agency’s handling of a case involving Chinese swimmers and other issues.
The Associated Press learned of the agenda item through correspondence it obtained between WADA and European officials involved in the agency’s decision-making. Two others with knowledge of the agenda confirmed the existence of the rules proposal to AP; they were not authorised to speak publicly about the agenda, which has not been released publicly.
The proposal was, in fact, first brought up in 2024, when U.S. authorities successfully lobbied for its rejection. The U.S. has since lost its seat on the executive committee.
“In spite of WADA’s increasing threats, we continue to stand firm in our demand for accountability and transparency from WADA to ensure fair competition in sport,” said Sara Carter, the director of the U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP).
The rule, if passed, would figure to be mostly symbolic, given the limits an international sports federation could have on the president of a country attending an event inside his own borders.
“I have never heard of a $50-million-budget Swiss foundation being able to enforce a rule to, for example, prevent the United States president from going anywhere,” said Carter’s predecessor at ONDCP, Rahul Gupta, who was on the WADA executive committee two years ago and led the movement to reject the proposal. “And the next question you have to ask is: How are you going to enforce it? Are they going to post a red notice from Interpol? It’s ludicrous. It’s clear they have not thought this through.”
In a news release after this story published, WADA said the AP story was “entirely misleading,” focusing on Fitzgerald’s statement to the AP that if proposals being discussed were “introduced, given that the rules would not apply retroactively, the FIFA World Cup, LA and Salt Lake City Games (in 2034) would not be covered.”
Fitzgerald’s only answer to three emails from AP seeking clarification on his initial response — specifically about how a rule that had not yet been adopted could or couldn’t be applied retroactively on events that are scheduled for the future — was: “I’m trying to say that it would not apply retroactively so those events would not be covered. Given that and the next meeting of the Board being scheduled for November, I don’t see how it could come into play for this year’s World Cup.”
-AP
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The Confederation of African Football has dismissed Yasin Osman Robleh, the Djiboutian official who headed its judicial bodies for the past six years, in a move aimed at restoring confidence in the organisation’s disciplinary processes.
According to reports from convergence sources, the decision was confirmed on Saturday by CAF Secretary General Veron Mosengo-Omba, bringing an abrupt end to Robleh’s tenure overseeing the confederation’s disciplinary and investigative committees since 2019.
Robleh’s position reportedly came under increasing pressure following the controversy surrounding sanctions imposed after the Africa Cup of Nations Final between Morocco and Senegal. The disciplinary decisions that followed the match sparked criticism from several quarters and placed CAF’s legal framework under intense scrutiny.
In response to the situation, CAF’s Executive Committee has appointed Togolese lawyer Cedric Egai, currently the confederation’s Director of Legal Affairs, as interim head of the judicial bodies.
Egai is expected to stabilise the organisation’s legal arm while CAF works toward appointing a permanent successor to Robleh.
Disciplinary Decisions Delayed
The leadership change has already affected ongoing disciplinary processes within the confederation. CAF’s disciplinary committee reportedly held hearings last Thursday on several cases, including the high-profile encounter involving Egypt’s Al Ahly and Morocco’s AS FAR.
However, decisions on those matters have been temporarily put on hold pending the confirmation of new leadership within the judicial structure.
Sources indicate that once a permanent successor is appointed, CAF will move swiftly to conclude outstanding disciplinary rulings affecting both clubs and national teams.
Restoring Confidence
The move is widely seen as part of CAF’s effort to restore confidence in its judicial system following weeks of controversy surrounding disciplinary decisions at major competitions.
Robleh’s departure closes a significant chapter in CAF’s legal administration, while Egai’s interim appointment signals a potential shift in leadership and governance at a critical time for African football.
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Governing Bodies
Countdown Rule Introduced To Crack Down on Time-Wasting in Substitutions and Spot Kicks
Global football’s law-making body, The International Football Association Board (IFAB), has approved a landmark package of reforms aimed at protecting effective playing time, reducing time-wasting and strengthening disciplinary oversight ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026.
The decisions were taken at IFAB’s 140th Annual General Meeting (AGM), chaired by Mike Jones, President of the Football Association of Wales, during celebrations marking the FAW’s 150th anniversary.
The reforms, which will apply from the 2026/27 season and be implemented at the 2026 World Cup and other competitions, respond to growing calls across the football community for measures that preserve match tempo and reduce deliberate disruption.
Five-Second Countdown for Throw-Ins and Goal Kicks
Building on last season’s amendment preventing goalkeepers from holding the ball for excessive periods, IFAB has extended the countdown principle to throw-ins and goal kicks.
If a referee judges that a restart is being deliberately delayed, a visible five-second countdown will begin. Failure to put the ball back into play within that period will result in possession being awarded to the opposing team. In the case of a delayed goal kick, the sanction escalates to a corner kick for the opposition.
The measure is designed to eliminate a common time-management tactic frequently deployed late in matches.
Strict Timelines for Substitutions
To further streamline match flow, substituted players must leave the field within 10 seconds of the substitution board being displayed or the referee’s signal being given.
Players who exceed that limit must still exit immediately, but their replacement will not be allowed to enter until the next stoppage after one minute of running clock time has elapsed — effectively discouraging slow exits intended to run down the clock.
Mandatory One-Minute Absence After On-Field Treatment
Under another significant change, players who receive on-field medical assessment — or whose injury prompts a stoppage — must leave the pitch and remain off for at least one minute once play resumes.
The rule aims to curb tactical injury interruptions while still safeguarding genuine medical needs.
IFAB also approved further trials to assess goalkeeper-related tactical injury delays and explore deterrent options.
VAR Protocol Expanded to Include Second Yellow Cards
In a notable development for officiating, IFAB expanded the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) protocol.
The VAR will now be permitted to review:
- Red cards resulting from a clearly incorrect second yellow card;
- Mistaken identity cases where the wrong player is cautioned or sent off;
- Clearly incorrectly awarded corner kicks, provided the review can be completed immediately without delaying the restart.
The move addresses longstanding criticism that second cautions — unlike straight red cards — were previously outside VAR review scope, despite their decisive impact on matches.
IFAB also confirmed continued trials of semi-automated offside technology (SAOT) and ongoing development of FIFA-led Football Video Support (FVS).
Amendments to the Laws of the Game 2026/27
The next edition of the Laws of the Game, effective 1 July 2026 (with early adoption permitted), will introduce further clarifications and adjustments:
- Law 3: Senior ‘A’ international friendlies may now allow up to eight substitutes, expandable to eleven by mutual agreement.
- Law 4: Non-dangerous equipment will be permitted if safely covered.
- Law 5: Referee body cameras (head- or chest-mounted) may be used at competition discretion, with organisers controlling footage.
- Law 8: Clarifies that a dropped ball will be awarded to the team that would likely have retained possession.
- Laws 10 & 14: Formal incorporation of guidance on accidental “double touch” penalty incidents.
- Law 12: Where advantage is played for denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity and a goal is scored, the offender will not be cautioned.
Focus on Discriminatory Behaviour and Player Protests
Looking ahead to the 2026 World Cup, IFAB agreed that further consultation will be undertaken to develop tougher measures against discriminatory conduct.
The board will also examine scenarios where:
- Players leave the field collectively in protest of refereeing decisions;
- Players cover their mouths while confronting opponents — a practice viewed as undermining transparency.
A Forward-Looking Agenda
The AGM, attended by representatives from FIFA, The FA, the Scottish FA, the FA of Wales, the Irish FA and IFAB administration, signals what officials described as a decisive effort to modernise the sport.
With the 2026 World Cup on the horizon, IFAB’s reforms represent one of the most comprehensive tempo-focused overhauls in recent years — an attempt to ensure that football remains faster, fairer and more resistant to manipulation of time.
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