Irish Arsenal Star Katie McCabe Joins Players Declining Poppy During Remembrance Fixtures

Arsenal Women's left-back and Republic of Ireland captain Katie McCabe chose not to wear a poppy on her shirt during Arsenal's 4-1 victory over Leicester City, a match designated as a Remembrance fixture. Several other Irish players, including Brighton's Caitlin Hayes, Crystal Palace's Abbie Larkin, and London City Lionesses' Hayley Nolan, also opted out of wearing the poppy, despite the traditional practice of stitching poppies into shirts to support the Royal British Legion. McCabe participated in the minute of silence before the match but made a personal decision not to wear the symbol this season, a departure from previous years when she did wear it. This action aligns with the stance of Wrexham captain James McClean, who has long refused to wear a poppy, citing that the symbol represents a broader remembrance that includes British military actions perceived as controversial in Northern Ireland, such as the Bloody Sunday massacre. McClean and others argue that the poppy's meaning has evolved beyond honoring World Wars I and II to include conflicts and incidents that are divisive, leading to their refusal to wear it as a form of protest. Neither McCabe nor the other players who declined to wear the poppy have publicly detailed their reasons, but their choices highlight ongoing sensitivities surrounding the symbol's significance for some Irish athletes and fans.