Openly gay footballer feels 'excluded' over FIFA ban of 'OneLove' armband at World Cup

Josh Cavallo, an openly gay footballer for Adelaide United of the Australian A-League, has criticized FIFA's ban on players wearing "OneLove" anti-discrimination armbands during the World Cup held in Qatar. 

"I’m disappointed in FIFA. They have made me feel excluded," Cavallo told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour (h/t Emmet Lyons and Ami Kaufman). "You know, representation is so important and there’s so many people watching these games, you know, that it just shows that FIFA’s intentions are not to make … football a place for everyone, you know. We have families watching, we have the next generation watching. FIFA needs to do better. It’s the world game."

Cavallo offered his comments amid the controversy sparked by reports saying that players were threatened with one-game bans and countries with "massive" sporting sanctions if footballers sport the "OneLove" rainbow armband meant to show solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community during World Cup games. It was said Wednesday that the German Football Association is taking FIFA to the Court of Arbitration for Sport regarding the matter. 

Per CNN, Cavallo is recognized as the only openly gay professional top-flight male footballer in the world today.

"If I had been there and I had been the captain, yes, I would have worn the armband. I’m not ashamed to be who I am," Cavallo said about players and nations possibly facing sanctions during the World Cup. "And it’s exactly the reason why I’ve come out and to be the person I am today. I do expect my captain to wear it."

Australian captain Matthew Ryan did not wear the armband during the country's 4-1 loss to France in its World Cup opener on Tuesday. According to ESPN's Joey Lynch, Australia midfielder Jackson Irvine later said he'd "be in a right pickle" if he started a tournament match on a yellow card for wearing the armband. 

"It’s definitely concerning because it’s FIFA putting them in this position where it’s like they are going to be risking a World Cup, something that we trained for as professional athletes and dreamed to represent our country at the world stage," Cavallo said about the decision made by the Australian players. "I commend the seven nations [who originally intended to wear the armband at the tournament] for wanting to embrace inclusivity in the World Cup campaign."