German soccer players cover their mouths in team photo protest ahead of World Cup match in Qatar
The German national soccer team staged a silent protest against its World Cup hosts in Qatar and the sport's governing bodies on Friday.
The German national soccer team staged a silent protest against its World Cup hosts in Qatar and the sport's governing bodies Wednesday, declaring that human rights were nonnegotiable.
Before Germany kicked off against Japan at Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, the starting 11 posed for a picture covering their mouths.
Human rights activists have long criticized Qatar’s treatment of migrant workers and LGBTQ people.
Team captains of several European teams had planned to do "One Love" armbands to signal support for the "One Love" campaign for human rights. But the national soccer federations of those squads, instead, adhered to the world body FIFA's demand to not stage that in-game messaging, amid threats of punishment.
That move apparently did not sit well with Germany, a perennial contender to win the world's most famed soccer tournament.
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