Former Sheffield United transfer target hits headlines after controversial armband decision v Nottingham Forest
Sam Morsy, a previous long-term transfer target for Sheffield United, has been accused of hypocrisy after declining to wear a rainbow armband in Ipswich Town’s game against Nottingham Forest over the weekend. The midfielder was first connected with the Blades roughly a decade ago while at Chesterfield, and talk has resurfaced virtually every transfer window since.
Morsy was last mentioned in relation to United three years ago, when he was linked in a prospective swap deal involving then-United striker Oliver Burke and Middlesbrough, but he instead moved to League One to join for Ipswich. Morsy helped Town win back-to-back promotions to the Premier League, but his refusal to wear the rainbow armband against Forest drew notice.
The Egyptian international was the only top-flight captain to wear the standard armband at Rainbow Laces weekend, a Premier League initiative to promote equality, diversity, and LGBTQ+ acceptance and understanding held in collaboration with LGBTQ+ charity Stonewall. Morsy is a practicing Muslim, and an Ipswich official said the decision was based on his religious convictions.
“Ipswich Town Football Club is committed to being a fully inclusive club that welcomes everyone,” according to the statement. “We gladly support the Premier League’s Rainbow Laces campaign and work with the LGBTQ+ community to promote equality and inclusion. At the same time, we respect our captain, Sam Morsy, who has decided not to wear the rainbow captain’s armband owing to religious convictions. We will continue to cultivate an environment in which everyone is recognized and respected, both on and off the pitch.”
Morsy’s decision has sparked heated controversy online, with some accusing the 33-year-old of hypocrisy for wearing gambling sponsors on his shirt when at Boro and Wigan Athletic – gambling is also prohibited by the Islamic religion. A recent Stonewall survey found that one-quarter of LGBTQ+ individuals do not feel welcome at live sports events, with initiatives like Rainbow Laces attempting to break down such barriers and make football a more inclusive environment.
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