Australia captain Sam Kerr will not wear ‘OneLove’ armband at Women’s World Cup in fear of yellow card

Chelsea star and Australia captain will not wear ‘OneLove’ armband at 2023 Women’s World Cup for fear of putting the team at risk

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Sam Kerr says she would "love" to wear the ‘OneLove’ armband during Australia’s 2023 Women’s World Cup campaign but will not "put the team at risk" by doing so.

The armband was at the centre of a row that was a major talking point during the early stages of the men’s competition in Qatar last year.

And on Friday it was confirmed that, as at that tournament, players will not be allowed to wear it in matches at the women’s showpiece in Australia and New Zealand this summer, with FIFA unveiling a range of other, approved bands which can highlight social issues and causes.

Speaking at a press conference on Monday as Australia’s 23-player World Cup squad was announced, Matildas skipper and Chelsea striker Kerr said: "The men’s World Cup, the women’s World Cup... being honest I kind of expected it, I didn’t expect them to change it (the rule).

"Obviously we would love to wear it - like most of the teams in the whole world, everyone has voiced that they would love to wear it.

"But I think you saw with the men’s World Cup, (England captain) Harry Kane for example, first game, if he had worn it, yellow card, if he’d got a yellow card in the game, he would’ve been sent off.

"So for me it’s not worth the risk of putting the team at risk, of putting the tournament at risk, putting everything at risk.

"There will be multiple opportunities where we get to use our voice, and there will be multiple opportunities where I get to use my voice for things.

"We would have liked to have worn it but I’m not going to put this team at risk, the tournament at risk, and we have to abide by the rules that we’re given really."

At the Qatar World Cup, captains of the nations involved in the ‘OneLove’ campaign, including England and Wales, were threatened with sporting sanctions starting at a yellow card if the bands were worn because they would have been a breach of FIFA equipment regulations.

The forthcoming tournament gets under way on July 20, with Australia opening their Group B campaign that day against the Republic of Ireland in Sydney.