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Japanese players wore black armbands in the opening match of the Women’s World Cup against Zambia on Saturday following the death of Fumiko Tottori, mother of Japanese Princess Takamado.
The princess is the honorary patron of the Japan Football Association. Her mother, Tottori, 96, passed away on Tuesday in Tokyo. FIFA agreed to the federation’s request to wear bands as a tribute.
The Japanese team wore armbands days after New Zealand and Norway observed a minute’s silence before the opening game of the tournament after two men were killed in a shooting in Auckland’s city centre.
Ahead of the tournament, FIFA announced that it will allow team captains to wear eight specially designed armbands that were unveiled earlier this month.
The eight armband designs were based on anti-discrimination themes including inclusivity towards indigenous peoples, ending domestic violence and creating gender equality.
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