Poppy Off

Poppies are often displayed in the nations of the United Kingdom in November as a way to memorialize war dead. The most common day to show them is November 11th or near it, as that day marks the end of World War I. In the United States, it was originally known as Armistice Day before becoming Veterans Day and marked as honoring all military veterans. Sports teams, especially national ones, may include a poppy on team uniforms for contests near that date.

But FIFA, the international body governing soccer last heard from being charged with a massive bribery scam, fined the governing bodies of four national teams for displaying the memento. Displays of religious or political emblems are strictly forbidden, the association says, so the poppy emblems will cost those teams some money.

No word yet on whether or not the FIFA officials who may soon be wearing jail ID numbers will have to pony up for the privilege of doing so. You kind of hope not, because it'd be hard to work off a five-figure fine in a prison laundry.