Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi has addressed the controversy over his "Jesus loves you" message scrawled onto his rainbow armband.
The devout Christian player was reprimanded by the Football Association (FA) after displaying the message during Palace's 1-0 win at Ipswich on Tuesday night, and for writing "I [heart] Jesus" on a rainbow armband at an earlier match.
The FA reminded Guehi that religious messaging is not allowed on kits. However, captains are being encouraged to wear rainbow armbands as part of the Premier League's LGBTQ+ inclusion initiative, which is being led in association with the charity Stonewall.
Guehi told the BBC, "I think the message was pretty clear to be honest. It was a message of love and truth as well, and a message of inclusivity so I think it speaks for itself."
In an earlier interview with Saturday's BBC Radio 5 Live Sport he expressed the hope that people would accept his Christian faith.
"I believe 100% in the words that I wrote, even what I've just said now - it's a message of truth and love, and I hope people can understand that my faith is my faith, and I'll stand by it for the rest of my life," he said.
The FA has been accused of double standards after it took no action against Ipswich's Muslim captain, Sam Morsy, after he refused to wear the rainbow armband.
Robert Jenrick, the shadow justice secretary, told The Telegraph: "This smacks of a two-tier response. Why is a Christian player being treated differently to a Muslim?"
Guehi's father, John, commented on the controversy to the MailOnline: "I am saying did he offend anyone? I don't think so. I do believe in what the Bible says, Jesus loves everyone, and, in my opinion, Marc did not offend anyone with what he wrote.
"Jesus loved everyone therefore by saying 'I love Jesus' on his armband I really don't see what is offensive and what the problem is.
"If you look at what the LGBT community are doing, they are trying to impose on others what they believe in, it's belief against belief, but at the end of the day everyone has the right to an opinion."
Rangers icon and footballing pundit Ally McCoist defended Guehi and players who do not want to wear the rainbow band.
"The problem isn't Marc Guehi saying 'I love Jesus'. The problem is people having a problem with it. I mean, dear me, all he's doing is expressing his feelings for Jesus. Are you really getting upset about that, what is the world coming to?" he told talkSPORT.
He added, "It's about freedom of choice. If they want to take part in it, great. If they don't want to take part in it, then they don't want to take part in it. I wouldn't be holding a gun to anyone's head. I certainly wouldn't hold it against anybody just because they don't have the same views and beliefs as I do or somebody else does."
