French minister pushes for human rights gesture at World Cup

PARIS (AP) — France’s sports minister has encouraged her country’s World Cup team to make a symbolic gesture in support of human rights, after FIFA’s clampdown on the “One Love” armband. Amélie Oudéa-Castéra told French television channel Public Sénat Wednesday night that there is room for the team to “express its commitment to human rights.” Her comments came after Germany’s players covered their mouths for the team photo before their opening World Cup match on Wednesday. The gesture was a response to FIFA’s effective nixing of seven European teams’ plans to wear armbands that were seen as a rebuke to host nation Qatar and its human rights record.