Religious beliefs put two captains in spotlight during Premier League's Rainbow Laces campaign

The captains of two Premier League teams are in the spotlight for their choices as the competition celebrates LGBTQ+ inclusion in its campaign to promote equality and diversity.

Rainbow-colored captain armbands were issued to the 20 clubs for matches last weekend and the current midweek round.

Ipswich's Sam Morsy has been the only captain in action who didn't wear the rainbow armband, in games against Nottingham Forest on Saturday and Crystal Palace on Tuesday. Ipswich said after the Forest game that Morsy made the decision “due to his religious beliefs.”

Morsy, a British-born Egypt midfielder, is a practicing Muslim.

Ipswich said it “respect(s) the decision” of Morsy but is “committed to being a fully inclusive club."

“We will continue to grow an environment where all are valued and respected, both on and off the pitch," Ipswich said.

Palace captain Marc Guehi wore a rainbow armband bearing the words “I love Jesus” on it during the match against Newcastle on Saturday. A heart was used instead of the word “love.”

The England defender, who is a devout Christian, and Palace were contacted by the Football Association reminding them that the appearance on, or incorporation in, any item of clothing, soccer boots or other equipment of any religious message is prohibited under Rule A4 of the governing body’s regulations, Britain's PA news agency reported Tuesday.

For the game against Ipswich, Guehi's message on the rainbow armband read, “Jesus loves you” — again using a heart sign. It raises the prospect of the player being sanctioned by the FA for defying its rules.

Addressing the issue after the match, Palace manager Oliver Glasner said: “We respect every player and especially Marc. He is our captain. Everyone knows he is a great guy, very humble, and I don’t think we should make it bigger than it is. In football we are all against discrimination and it’s a great campaign.

“We spoke about it. He’s no child, he’s an adult, he has his opinion and we respect it.”

The league's Rainbow Laces campaign, introduced in 2013, is in partnership with LGBTQ+ charity Stonewall and includes a range of activities to “highlight community and education initiatives designed to encourage discussion and promote allyship with LGBTQ+ communities,” the competition said. Rainbow Laces branding is widely visible within stadiums on things like corner flags and ball plinths.

It is not mandatory for captains to wear the rainbow armband and it is deemed a personal choice. Last season, Anel Ahmedhodzic, the then-Sheffield United captain, wore a standard armband instead of the rainbow version.

In France, Nantes fined striker Mostafa Mohamed for refusing to play against Toulouse last year on the weekend teams wore rainbow-colored numbers on their jerseys to support the fight against homophobia. In May, Monaco midfielder Mohamed Camara was given a four-game suspension by the league for covering up an anti-homophobia message on the team’s shirt during the club’s final league game of the season.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Crystal Palace's Marc Guehi wears the Rainbow Laces captain's armband which has the words 'Jesus Heart You' on during the England Premier League soccer match between Ipswich Town and Crystal Palace at Portman Road, Ipswich, England, Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (Zac Goodwin/PA via AP)

Crystal Palace's Marc Guehi wears the Rainbow Laces captain's armband which has the words 'Jesus Heart You' on during the England Premier League soccer match between Ipswich Town and Crystal Palace at Portman Road, Ipswich, England, Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (Zac Goodwin/PA via AP)

Crystal Palace's Marc Guehi wearing the Rainbow Laces captain's armband which has the words 'Jesus Heart You' on during the England Premier League soccer match between Ipswich Town and Crystal Palace at Portman Road, Ipswich, England, Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (Zac Goodwin/PA via AP)

Ipswich Town's Sam Morsy, bottom, tackles Manchester United's Marcus Rashford during the English Premier League soccer match between Ipswich Town and Manchester United at Portman Road stadium in Ipswich, England, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland)

Newcastle United's Harvey Barnes, left, and Crystal Palace's Marc Guehi battle for the ball during the English Premier League soccer match between Crystal Palace and Newcastle United at Selhurst Park, London, Saturday Nov. 30, 2024. (Ben Whitley/PA via AP)

HERENTALS, Belgium (AP) — Two-time Olympic champion Remco Evenepoel sustained multiple fractures, a dislocated collarbone and lung contusions when he crashed into a vehicle while training in Belgium on Tuesday.

The 24-year-old Evenepoel broke his right shoulder blade, right hand and a rib, his Soudal Quick-Step team said. He was scheduled for surgery after further examinations revealed "contusions on both lungs and a luxation of the clavicle.”

“The clavicle will be operated on this evening, which if successful, should allow Remco to leave hospital tomorrow,” the team said in an update Tuesday night. “There will then be a two-week period of immobilization required following this, after which a plan for his return to training can be made.”

Evenepoel had been treated at a hospital in Anderlecht before being moved to a facility in Herentals.

Belgian media reported Evenepoel was unable to avoid the door of a post office vehicle when it was swung open. He never lost consciousness, but the impact was heavy enough to break the frame of his bicycle.

Photographs online showed Evenepoel sitting beside an ambulance, wrapped in a blanket and holding his arm.

Evenepoel was the first cyclist to sweep the road race and time trial at an Olympic Games when he triumphed in both in Paris in August.

A two-time world champion, Evenepoel also won the Spanish Vuelta in 2022 and finished third in the Tour de France this year.

“He was lying on the ground for a while,” said Bart De Pelseneer, who has a butcher’s shop nearby. “It was clearly a heavy blow. The door of the postal car was also completely twisted. His bike was completely broken, they folded it up like a wheelchair.

“When I went to look, he looked deathly pale. The emergency services gave him a Coke. His wife, Oumi, was here at about the same time as the emergency services.”

AP cycling: https://apnews.com/hub/cycling

FILE -Remco Evenepoel, of Belgium, celebrates winning the men's road cycling event, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin, File)

FILE -Remco Evenepoel, of Belgium, shows his gold medals of the men's time trial and road cycling events, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, File)