Moroccan Soccer Players Remove Pro-Palestinian Armbands Mid-Match After Referee Intervention

"I didn’t know it was forbidden. He (referee Vergoote) told me it wasn’t allowed and that’s why I took it off immediately," Tissoudali said at the end of the game. The Moroccan and his compatriot Kandouss had worn on their right arm under their jersey an armband in the colors of Palestine that referee Jasper Vergroote noticed during the substitution of Ludwig Augustinsson by Moussa Ndiaye at Anderlecht, more than half an hour after the start of the match.

The two players were not bothered to wear this pro-Palestinian armband, even if one of their teammates, Omri Gandelman, is of Israeli origin. Ordered to remove it, they complied, reluctantly. "I’m free to do what I want, but I respect the referee’s decision. I just want to convey a positive message... I’ve seen other countries where it was allowed, but I won’t say anything about it," added the Moroccan international.

And to insist: "It’s a restriction of freedom of expression. I think I can do what I want and that right is now being taken away from me... I’m simply against war and mass killings. It was a positive message and I really didn’t want to provoke. It was more of a humanitarian statement for me..."