Football fans who bring rainbow-colored flags to the stadium during the Qatar World Championships risk being deprived of these universal LGBTQ community symbols. The security head of the tournament told the AP that it would be for the safety of these fans not to be attacked for promoting homosexuality.
In conservative Qatar, same-sex relationships are still being criminalized. Major General Abdalaziz Abdullah Ansari said that gay couples would be welcomed and accepted at the championship, but opposed the open promotion of the LGBTQ freedoms.
“If someone has a rainbow flag and I take it from him, it won’t be because I want to take it from me to insult him, but to protect him. Because if I don’t, someone could attack him. I can’t vouch for other people’s behavior. , “said AP Ansari.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in Doha this week that “everyone will see that everyone is welcome here in Qatar, even the people of the LGBTQ community.”
Ansari does not consider his statements a warning to these fans not to go to Qatar, otherwise they will be punished. “Book a room together, sleep together – we don’t care. We are here to run the tournament. We can’t change the laws here, we can’t change the religion for 28 days of the championship,” Ansari said.
However, the warning against rainbow flags contradicts previous assumptions. In 2020, one FIFA official, Joyce Cook, said that at the Qatar World Championships, “rainbow flags and T-shirts will be welcome in stadiums. That’s the thing. Very well (Catalans) understand that this is our position.”
FARE, which monitors cases of discrimination in football, has already responded to Ansari’s words.
“The idea that the flag, which is a universal symbol of diversity and equality, will be taken away from people for their protection is unacceptable and can be considered an excuse,” said FARE Executive Director Piara Powar. “I’ve been to Qatar many times and I don’t expect fans coming to the World Cup to be attacked because of the rainbow flag. There is more danger from the state.”
FIFA has been criticized by some Western states for awarding the Qatar Championship precisely because of the country’s lack of human rights, including the tolerance of the LGBTQ community. The championship will take place from November 21 to December 18.
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