Greek Superleague club Larissa said on Friday, 16 December, that they have been banned from wearing shirts bearing a slogan highlighting Europe's refugee crisis.

Players were planning to have 'The refugee children are our children’ splashed across the front of their shirts but Greek officials rejected their idea as a "highly political message."

"In order to maintain our dignity and complete independence, we decided not to succumb to petty financial proposals in relation to sponsoring our jerseys," said a Larissa statement.

Larissa is one of many Greek cities where thousands of refugees arriving from Africa and the Middle East have been housed during the recent migrant crisis.

Earlier this year, the club and Acharnaikos players delayed a match to stage a sit-down protest in a tribute to refugees.

Brigadas Amarillas 'refugees welcome' banner banned
Similar arguments were also used by the Spanish Professional Football League (LFP) when Cádiz CF supporters group Brigadas Amarillas planned to display a series of banners in reference to the refugee cause at a Spanish Segunda División match during the Football People weeks.

A statement of the group read: "We want to make publicly known the banning of our action, which increases our conviction that the management of this situation [the refugee crisis] by European countries and the European Union has been disastrous. This is leading to an increase of far-right displays across Europe, and in Spain in particular, while actions that look to promote tolerance and equality are banned."

The fan group decided after to hold the activity outside the stadium and halt the display of banners at home matches in protest with the decision.

Based on AFP

@LaLiga impide el tifo a los refugiados,
Y ahora la policia "aconseja" al @Cadiz_CF que NO intervenga en la charla de mañana viernes... pic.twitter.com/QHI4OigqVu

— Brigadas Amarillas (@BA1982Oficial) October 13, 2016

Si no se puede dentro pues lo haremos fuera, 6 años queriendo llegar a 2ª y cada vez te arrepientes más de estar en @LaLiga de @Tebasjavier pic.twitter.com/kwrV1PvM3P

— Brigadas Amarillas (@BA1982Oficial) October 9, 2016

Una más contra nosotros, prohíben el tifo en apoyo a los refugiados donde colaboran @farenet y @Cadiz_CF
Vaya @LaLiga de pandereta! pic.twitter.com/a3FH2dDs7v

— Brigadas Amarillas (@BA1982Oficial) October 8, 2016