A cleric has called on the football body, Fifa to ban Christian football players form making the sign of the cross after scoring or coming onto the pitch.
Mohammed al Arefe asked FIFA’S governing body step into outlaw the prayer symbol. Al Arefe wrote: “I’ve seen video clips of athletes, soccer players running, shooting and when they win they make the symbol of the cross on their chests and my question is do FIFA’s rules not forbid this.”
The university religion professor who has a massive following in Saudi Arabia made his call on Twitter to 17.4million people. But it has received a backlash from footy fans pointing out Muslim players regularly make religious gestures on the pitch.
Also, the Sun reported that controversy erupted after Real Madrid agreed to remove a Christian cross symbol from its kits on sale in the Middle East.
The Spanish club, which is sponsored by Dubai-based Emirates airline, has its kits made by a company named Marka in the region. Marka’s Vice Chairman Khaled al-Mheiri said: “We have to be sensitive to other parts of the Gulf that are quite sensitive to products that hold the cross”.
