The game between Portugal and Uruguay was interrupted when a fan got past security, jumped on the ground and got the attention of the world as he was running with a rainbow colored flag and a blue t-shirt with two slogans.
The message on the front said ‘SAVE UKRAINE’ while the message at the back said ‘RESPECT FOR IRANIAN WOMAN.’ The man was soon tackled to the ground by security and escorted out of the stadium.
FIFA Bans Protestor For All World Cup Games
Italian Mario Ferri identified himself as the one who carried out the protest. He has a reputation of doing this in football matches and said that he wanted to send out a strong message on all of these key issues. Ferri says he has friends in Ukraine and spent a month in Ukraine in Feb 2022 as a volunteer after Russia invaded Ukraine.
He also wanted to support ONE LOVE after Qatar banned countries from allowing their captain’s to wear the rainbow colored armband. Ferri said that he was released within an hour after his arrest and was handed a ban that will not allow him to enter and watch any more games at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.