On Sunday night, Luis Diaz came off the bench to net a vital equalizer, making him the hero. The Colombian attacker was happy to see himself back on Liverpool’s scoresheet after going through a goal-scoring drought.
But Diaz’s passionate plea for his father’s release from captivity eclipsed the significance of this event. His parents were kidnapped in Colombia just last weekend; his mother was luckily freed, but his father is still held captive.
After the 26-year-old tied the score with Liverpool, he showed off an undershirt bearing the words “Libertad Para Papa” (Freedom for Papa) in a heartfelt moment.
However, players are normally prohibited from lifting their shirts to reveal private messages per FA regulations.
However, in this instance, the FA has chosen not to file any charges due to the seriousness of the situation and the fact that Diaz did not remove his kit completely, as the Daily Mail reported. It would have been unnecessarily severe and uncaring to punish a player for candidly voicing worry about a family member who had been abducted.
There should always be a higher purpose behind the rules and regulations that regulate football and the Premier League. It is admirable that the FA decided not to apply these regulations strictly in this particular situation. However, the interpretation of these rules should be nuanced and based on a case-by-case review.
It is hoped that Diaz’s father would soon be released from captivity, which was organized by the ELN, a group opposed to the government in Colombia.
The Diaz family is still in our thoughts and prayers during this trying and difficult time.
