Ahead of England's World Cup clash with the United States on Friday, world soccer's governing body FIFA said that Crusader costumes worn by England fans are "offensive."
Reportedly, some England fans attended the sports events dressed as the English patron Saint George, equipped with helmets, crosses, and plastic swords.
FIFA told CNN: "Crusader costumes in the Arab or Middle East context can be offensive to Muslims. That is why anti-discrimination colleagues asked fans to wear things inside out or change their dress.
For Arab Muslims, the word "crusade" summons up a painful history of violent invasion (religious war) by "self-styled military seeking to capture Jerusalem, Al Aqsa mosque, and nearby areas from Islamic rule in the 11th to 13th centuries.
Earlier, FIFA said the sale of beer was banned at Qatar stadiums which were criticized by the west.
Pertinently, Qatar witnessed a massive campaign by the western world against hosting FIFA in Qatar, and an allegedly exploited workforce was cited.