# FIFA's latest blunder - poppies



## espola (Nov 10, 2016)

Major John McRae, a doctor in the Canadian Army in WWI, composed this poem to read at  the memorial service of a fellow officer who was killed by German artillery in the Flanders area of Belgium  --

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

After that was published in UK and Canadian newspapers, poppies became a symbol of remembrance for the war dead.  In the UK, where they still celebrate Nov 11 as Armistice Day, poppies, both real and artificial, are everywhere on patriotic Britons on that day.  In accordance with that custom, England and Scotland football associations have announced both teams' players will wear poppy armbands in their WC qualifier game Nov 11.  FIFA has threatened the teams with fines and/or points deductions toward their WC standings if they do.  

We shall see.


----------

