Huge TV screen at World Cup fan area in Qatar ‘mysteriously CUT OUT’ when England players took the knee after being warned off wearing rainbow armband against Iran
Fans have been left mystified after a large TV screen at a designated World Cup fan area in Qatar reportedly cut out when England took the knee just before kickoff in their match against Iran.
It is believed the screen blacked out for between 10 and 15 seconds as Three Lions players took part in the powerful gesture ahead of their 6-2 win at the Khalifa International Stadium on Monday night.
Gareth Southgate’s side reintroduced taking the knee before kickoff after not doing so in a number of recent fixtures.
The feed reportedly cut out at the FIFA Fan Festival at Al Bidda Park in Doha – the central hub for supporters at the tournament – according to The Sun.
It remains unclear if it was a deliberate decision or technical error.
England’s Declan Rice (left) and Jude Bellingham drop to one knee before their big win over Iran at the World Cup
Three Lions skipper Harry Kane backflipped on his decision to wear a ‘OneLove’ armband after pressure from FIFA
In further dramatic scenes as England took the knee, Iranian players refused to sing their own national anthem.
In recent months, anti-regime and women’s rights protests have been held across Iran, with thousands arrested and hundreds killed in a huge challenge to the country’s clerical leaders.
The questionable ‘technical error’ at the supporter hub in Doha also follows a backflip from the English FA, who banned captain Harry Kane from wearing a ‘OneLove’ armband.
The armbands were designed to promote inclusivity and LGBTQ+ rights, with homosexuality a criminal offence in the Gulf nation.
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