Josh Cavallo: Only openly gay top-flight male footballer says FIFA's 'OneLove' armband ban has ma him feel 'exclud' | CNN

Contents:

• JOSH CAVALLO: ONLY OPENLY GAY TOP-FLIGHT MALE FOOTBALLER SAYS FIFA’S ‘ONELOVE’ ARMBAND BAN HAS MA HIM FEEL ‘EXCLUD’
• GAY FOOTBALLER JOSH CAVALLO WOULD BE ‘SRED’ TO PLAY AT WORLD CUP QATAR
• THERE ARE 0 OUT GAY PLAYERS AT THE MEN’S WORLD CUP. THERE WERE 40 WOMEN 2019
• A GAY GIRL’S GUI TO THE 2023 WOMEN’S WORLD CUP
• GAY ATRALIAN FOOTBALLER JOSH CAVALLO SAYS WORLD CUP SHOULDN’T BE GOG TO QATAR, WHERE HOMOSEXUALY IS ILLEGAL
• QATAR'S FIRST OPENLY GAY MAN HAS A MSAGE FOR FOOTBALL FANS AHEAD OF THE FIFA WORLD CUPNAS MOHAMED LEFT QATAR TO PE PERSECUTN BASED ON HIS SEXUALY. NOW, HE'S SPEAKG OUT.PUBLISHED 1 NOVEMBER 2022 5:50AMBY CAMERON WATTSSOURCE: SBS NEWSIMAGE: NAS MOHAMED ME OUT AS THE FIRST PUBLICLY GAY QATARI. SOURCE: INSTAGRAM VIA @NRKNYHETER (INSTAGRAM @NRKNYHETER)KEY POTSDUBBED THE “FIRST OPENLY GAY QATARI”, NAS MOHAMED SOUGHT ASYLUM THE US TO PE OPPRSIVE ANTI-GAY LAWS. HE'S G HIS PLATFORM TO ADVOTE FOR LGBTIQ+ RIGHTS AHEAD OF THE 2022 FIFA WORLD CUP DOHA.NAS SAYS LGBTIQ+ WORLD CUP ATTEN MAY BE AT RISK, SPE ASSURANC OM FIFA AND QATAR’S ERNMENT.BORN TO A TRADNAL ARABIC-SPEAKG HOEHOLD QATAR, NAS MOHAMED FELT HE WAS STED TO BE SET UP AN ARRANGED MARRIAGE TO A WOMAN.DURG HIS ADOLCENCE, NAS REALISED THAT WAS NOT A LIFE HE WOULD BE PABLE OF LIVG, BUT WH NO ACCS TO "ANY LGBT VISIBILY" QATAR UPLED WH THE THREAT OF PERSECUTN, HE FELT FORCED TO KEEP HIS SEXUALY HIDN. EARLIER THIS YEAR, NAS MA TERNATNAL HEADL AS "THE FIRST OPENLY GAY QATARI", AND HE'S G HIS PLATFORM TO ADVOTE FOR LGBTIQ+ RIGHTS AHEAD OF THE 2022 FIFA WORLD CUP DOHA. SAME-SEX SEXUAL ACTIVY IS A CRIMAL OFFENCE QATAR AND IS PUNISHABLE WH A JAIL SENTENCE OF UP TO SEVEN YEARS. PUNISHMENTS ARE UALLY HARSHER FOR LOL QATARIS THAN FOR FOREIGN WORKERS AND VISORS.ACRDG TO LGBT RIGHTS ADVOCY ANISATN HUMAN DIGNY TST, QATAR ALSO OPERAT AN TERPRETATN OF SHARIA LAW " WHICH IS TECHNILLY POSSIBLE FOR MEN WHO ENGAGE SAME-SEX TIMACY TO BE SENTENCED TO ATH". "THERE IS SOME LIMED EVINCE OF THE LAW BEG ENFORCED RECENT YEARS, HOWEVER REPORTS ARE RARE," HUMAN DIGNY TST SAYS. READ MORE'WE, THE LGBTI MUNY, ARE SUFFERG': IRAN SENTENC TWO WOMEN TO ATH FOR PROMOTG HOMOSEXUALYNAS CID 11 YEARS AGO, AT AGE 24, TO TRAVEL TO THE UNED STAT AND STUDY A POST-GRADUATE MEDIL GREE.HE LEFT QATAR KNOWG HE WOULD NOT BE RETURNG TO HIS HOMELAND.UNSURE HOW HE WAS GOG TO STAY THE US, NAS APPLIED FOR POLIL ASYLUM ON THE GROUNDS HE WOULD FACE PERSECUTN BACK HOME QATAR. IN 2017, THE US ERNMENT ACCEPTED HIS CLAIMS AND GRANTED ASYLUM.I LEFT WH THE TENTN OF NOT GOG BACK.NAS MOHAMEDEARLIER THIS YEAR HE CID TO PUBLICLY E OUT AS GAY, LEADG TO MEDIA OUTLETS DUBBG HIM “THE FIRST OPENLY GAY QATARI”, ALTHOUGH AT THE TIME HE DIDN’T REALISE THAT HE WAS THE FIRST.NAS SAID THE 2022 FIFA WORLD CUP BEG HOSTED QATAR WAS THE TALYST FOR PUBLICLY G OUT, AS WAS “STRIKG NOBODY WAS SPEAKG OUT” ABOUT LGBTIQ+ RIGHTS HIS HOMELAND."I WAS TRYG TO GET ATTENTN WHOUT G OUT,” HE SAID, BUT HE FOUND LTLE TRACTN.NAS MOHAMED FELT PELLED TO E OUT PUBLICLY AHEAD OF THE WORLD CUP QATAR. CRED: INSTAGRAM @DR._NASSNAS EXPLAED THAT WHILE HE KNOWS PLENTY OF LGBTIQ+ PEOPLE QATAR, HE WAS SURPRISED TO FD OUT HE WAS THE FIRST QATARI TO E OUT AS GAY. THE NATN'S HARDLE STANCE ON SAME-SEX RELATNS NTRIBUT TO THE SECRECY.WHEN NAS WAS STILL LIVG QATAR, HE SAID UNRVER BTS AND TFISHG BY POLICE WERE KNOWN PRACTIC TO TCH AND PUNISH MEMBERS OF THE LGBTIQ+ MUNY.READ MOREHUMAN RIGHTS CHAMPN CRAIG FOSTER ON WHY HE'S STILL TAKG PART THE QATAR WORLD CUPNAS' MSAGE FOR LGBTIQ+ PEOPLE ATTENDG THE WORLD CUPNAS WARNED LGBTIQ+ PEOPLE VISG DOHA FOR THE WORLD CUP TO “BE REFUL”.WHILE PRI FLAGS WILL BE OFFICIALLY PERMTED STADIUMS, THEY MIGHT NOT BE WILY WELED, NAS SAID. "I DON'T THK PUBLIC DISPLAY OF RABOW FLAGS OR RALLI WOULD BE PRODUCTIVE," HE SAID.ALTHOUGH VISORS TO THE NATN ARE GENERALLY LS LIKELY TO BE PERSECUTED FOR SAME-SEX SEXUAL ACTIVY, NAS WARNED THAT FANS WHO “DON’T PASS” AS HETEROSEXUAL MAY BE SGLED OUT BY LOLS.NAS EXPLAED THAT SOME QATARIS SEE LGBTIQ+ VISIBILY AS “AN TENTNAL ASSLT ON THEM”.NAS MOHAMED NOW LIV SAN FRANCIS THE UNED STAT AS AN OPENLY GAY MAN. CRED: INSTAGRAM @DR._NASSFIFA AND QATARI OFFICIALS HAVE ASSURED VISORS TO THE NATN THAT THEY WILL BE EE OM DISCRIMATN, BUT GUTS ARE EXPECTED TO ADHERE TO THE CULTURAL NORMS OF QATAR.SHOULD FIFA AND WORLD CUP PLAYERS BE CHAMPNG LGBTIQ+ RIGHTS QATAR?NAS BELIEV THAT TEAMS, PLAYERS AND FIFA SHOULD BE ADVOTG LOUST FOR LGBTIQ+ RIGHTS DURG THE WORLD CUP QATAR. “THEY’RE NOT GOG TO BE HARMED,” HE SAID, TELLG ATTEN THEY SHOULD FOC ON THEIR OWN SAFETY FIRST.“BIG AND UNAPOLOGETIC VISIBILY IS THE RPONSIBILY OF THE TEAMS, PLAYERS AND FIFA.”IN OCTOBER, ATRALIA'S SOCCEROOS EXPRSED CRICISM OF THE QATARI ERNMENT’S STANCE ON LGBTIQ+ RIGHTS AS WELL AS NDNS FACED BY MIGRANT WORKERS A JOT STATEMENT.IN A VIO SHARED ON SOCIAL MEDIA, 16 SOCCEROOS PLAYERS LLED ON QATAR TO CRIMALISE SAME-SEX RELATNSHIPS."AS PLAYERS, WE FULLY SUPPORT THE RIGHTS OF THE LGBTI+ PEOPLE, BUT QATAR PEOPLE ARE NOT EE TO LOVE THE PERSON THEY CHOOSE. ADDRSG THE ISSU IS NOT EASY AND WE DON'T HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS," THEY SAID. "THIS MT CLU TABLISHG A MIGRANTS' ROURCE CENTRE, EFFECTIVE REMEDY FOR THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN NIED THEIR RIGHTS AND THE CRIMALISATN OF ALL SAME-SEX RELATNSHIPS."THE ARE BASIC RIGHTS THAT SHOULD BE AFFORD TO ALL AND WILL ENSURE NTUED PROGRS QATAR. THIS IS HOW WE N ENSURE A LEGACY THAT GO WELL BEYOND THE FAL WHISTLE OF THE 2022 FIFA WORLD CUP."READ MOREWHAT IS THE HUMAN ST OF THE WORLD CUP QATAR?THE SUPREME COMMTEE FOR DELIVERY AND LEGACY FOR THE QATAR WORLD CUP ACKNOWLEDGED THE SOCCEROOS' STATEMENT, SAYG MEND FOOTBALLERS "G THEIR PLATFORMS TO RAISE AWARENS FOR IMPORTANT MATTERS" AND ADDG THAT "NO UNTRY IS PERFECT".SEVERAL EUROPEAN TEAM PTAS HAVE ALSO ANNOUNCED THEIR TENTN TO WEAR RABOW PTA ARMBANDS THAT FEATURE THE WORDS “ONE LOVE” DURG THE WORLD CUP SUPPORT OF LGBTIQ+ RIGHTS.CAPTA OF THE GERMAN FOOTBALL TEAM JONAS HOFMANN SHOWS THE SPECIAL PTA'S ARMBAND AS A SIGN AGAST DISCRIMATN AND FOR DIVERSY. PHOTO: SEBASTIAN GOLLNOW/DPA SOURCE: DPA / SEBASTIAN GOLLNOWIN JUNE, NAS LNCHED A PETN ASKG FIFA TO E S FLUENCE TO STAND UP FOR LGBTIQ+ RIGHTS QATAR.IN AN OPEN LETTER TO FIFA PRINT GIANNI INFANTO, NAS WROTE THAT WHILE FIFA CELEBRAT QATAR AS A NATN SHOULD ALSO CELEBRATE LGBTIQ+ QATARIS WHO CURRENTLY "FEAR FOR THEIR SAFETY AND EEDOM”.“HUMAN RIGHTS VALU DON'T BELONG TO ONE NTENT, THEY'RE UNIVERSAL,” HE SAID.THE PETN IS NEARG S 80,000 SIGNATURE GOAL WH MORE THAN 70,000 PEOPLE HAVG ALREADY SIGNED SUPPORT.“LOVE IS NOT A CRIME, NOT JT THIS YEAR, BUT ALWAYS”, NAS SAID, URGG ANISATNS CLUDG FIFA TO NTUE TO ADVOTE FOR LGBTIQ+ RIGHTS QATAR AFTER THE WORLD CUP MOV ON.READ MOREDENMARK TO WEAR 'TONED DOWN' WORLD CUP K PROTT AGAST QATAR'S HUMAN RIGHTS RERDWHY AN ATRALIAN ACTIVIST STAGED A PROTT QATARHUMAN RIGHTS WATCH (HRW) RELEASED A REPORT OCTOBER OUTLG THE TREATMENT OF LGBTIQ+ PEOPLE QATAR, WH NAS NTRIBUTG TO THE FDGS BY NNECTG THE ANISATN TO PEOPLE QATAR.THE REPORT NTAS THE ACUNTS OF SIX LGBTIQ+ PEOPLE WHO SAY THEY WERE ARRTED, ATTACKED, AND KEPT SOLARY NFEMENT BEE OF THEIR SEXUALY OR GENR.NAS SE EVINCE-BASED REPORTG AS SENTIAL FOR BRGG AWARENS TO THE NDNS FACED BY LGBTIQ+ PEOPLE QATAR, SAYG THAT SIAR REPORTG WAS NOT AVAILABLE WHEN HE SOUGHT ASYLUM THE US.“WHEN I WAS FENDG MY ASYLUM SE, NOT HAVG EVINCE-BASED UNTRY NDNS FOR LGBT PEOPLE WAS AN OBSTACLE FOR ME, BEE THEY QUTNED WHETHER MY CLAIMS OF PROSECUTNS WERE REAL OR NOT,” HE SAID.THE REPORTG BY HRW PROMPTED ATRALIAN ACTIVIST PETER TATCHELL TO STAGE A PROTT THE STREETS OF DOHA LAST MONTH, DURG WHICH HE HELD A SIGN THAT READ “QATAR ARRTS, JAILS & SUBJECTS LGBTS TO 'NVERSN'”. IN JUNE, MR INFANTO EXPRSED NFINCE QATAR'S PROMIS OF AN CLIVE WORLD CUP. “WE'VE RECEIVED THE NECSARY GUARANTE, WE ARE TRAG ALL THE OFFICIALS, WE ARE WORKG HAND HAND WH THE ERNMENT, WH THE POLICE THORI, EVERYONE WILL BE WELE,” THE FIFA BOSS SAID.IN OCTOBER, HE HIGHLIGHTED FIFA'S ROLE PROMOTG HUMAN RIGHTS AND EQUALY – SCRIBG THE WORLD CUP AS “A TOURNAMENT OF PEACE AND UNY”. FIFA QATAR 2022 CHIEF OPERATG OFFICER COL SMH SAID THE WORLD FOOTBALL ERNG BODY SAW "THE POWER AND STRENGTH OF THE WORLD CUP AS A TALYST FOR CHANGE THE REGN". FIFA PRINT GIANNI INFANTO (CENTRE) WH RSIAN PRINT VLADIMIR PUT, AND THE EMIR OF QATAR SHEIKH TAMIM B HAMAD AL-THANI DURG 2018 FIFA WORLD CUP MOSW. CRED: ALEXEI NIKOLSKY/APWHEN ASKED ABOUT THE RIGHTS OF VISORS OM THE LGBTIQ+ MUNY EARLIER THIS YEAR, EMIR OF QATAR SHEIKH TAMIM B HAMAD AL-THANI SAID: “WE WELE EVERYBODY, BUT WE ALSO EXPECT AND WANT PEOPLE TO RPECT OUR CULTURE”.THE ANISG MTEE FOR THE QATAR WORLD CUP SPOKE WH SBS NEWS EARLIER THE YEAR AND SAID THAT LGBTIQ+ FANS WOULD NOT FACE ANY DISCRIMATN DURG THE TOURNAMENT.BUT NAS IS NCERNED THE PUBLIC RELATNS BY FIFA AND THE QATARI ERNMENT MIMISE THE "REAL LIFE NSEQUENC" FACED BY LGBTIQ+ PEOPLE QATAR. READ MOREWE ASKED IF GAY FANS WILL BE SAFE AT THE FIFA WORLD CUP QATAR. THIS IS WHAT THE HOSTS SAIDDPE THIS, HE HOP THAT CREASED VISIBILY BROUGHT BY THE WORLD CUP ULD BE A STEP TOWARDS OVERG THE OPPRSN OF LGBTIQ+ QATARIS.“BY THE END OF THE YEAR, WE WILL BE VISIBLE. I THK THAT'S A REALLY POSIVE CHANGE,” HE SAID.SBS NEWS PUT NAS' NCERNS ABOUT LGBTIQ+ RIGHTS TO FIFA AND THE QATARI ERNMENT. FIFA RPOND WH A STATEMENT OUTLG S POLICY TO UPHOLD HUMAN RIGHTS TERNATNALLY, SAYG THAT “FIFA’S POSN ON CLIVY AND THE PROTECTN OF HUMAN RIGHTS IS UNEQUIVOL”.FIFA LNCH S LGBTQIA0 WORK WH THE RAISG OF THE PRI FLAG AT S ZURICH HEADQUARTERS. CRED: FIFA“FIFA IS NFINT THAT ALL NECSARY MEASUR WILL BE PLACE FOR LGBTIQ+ FANS AND ALLI TO ENJOY THE TOURNAMENT A WELG AND SAFE ENVIRONMENT, JT AS FOR EVERYONE ELSE.” THE STATEMENT SAID.IN A STATEMENT TO SBS NEWS, A QATARI OFFICIAL SAID THAT "EVERYONE IS WELE QATAR", ADDG THAT "A SENSIVE APPROACH TO SECURY WILL BE ADOPTED" DURG THE WORLD CUP TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF ALL FANS.THE OFFICIAL ADD THAT VISORS SHOULD "RPECT LOL VALU AND CULTURE".SHARETAGSSPORTLIFEFIFA WORLD CUP 2022FIFA WORLD CUPTOPICS
• ‘NOBODY FEELS UNSAFE HERE’: GAY FOOTBALLER JOSH CAVALLO TOLD HE IS WELE AT QATAR WORLD CUP

JOSH CAVALLO: ONLY OPENLY GAY TOP-FLIGHT MALE FOOTBALLER SAYS FIFA’S ‘ONELOVE’ ARMBAND BAN HAS MA HIM FEEL ‘EXCLUD’

Qatar FIFA World Cup ambassador and former footballer Khalid Salman has said homosexualy is “damage the md, ” an terview wh German broadster ZDF on Monday. Durg the terview, Salman was discsg the issue of homosexualy beg illegal Qatar. Salman told ZDF that beg gay was “haram, ” meang forbidn acrdg to Islamic law.

As many people are expected to travel to Qatar for the World Cup, “let’s talk about gays, ” Salman said. 'FIFA have ma me feel exclud:' Sole gay top flight player hs out on Qatar armband ban. Josh Cavallo, the only openly gay top-flight male soccer player the sport, has told CNN that FIFA’s cisn to ban players om wearg “OneLove” armbands at the Qatar 2022 has ma him feel “exclud.

The Alai Uned midfielr and former Atralian youth ternatnal ma headl last year when he me out as gay. The world’s only openly gay top‑flight men’s footballer says he would be “sred” to play at the World Cup tournament Qatar next year bee of the emirate’s harsh ban on homosexualy and legal penalti rangg om floggg to lengthy prison terms and Cavallo, 21, who plays for Alai Uned Atralia’s A-League, received a wave of support om football fans and current and former players last month after openg up about his sexualy a vio posted to the club’s social media feeds.

GAY FOOTBALLER JOSH CAVALLO WOULD BE ‘SRED’ TO PLAY AT WORLD CUP QATAR

”The announcement ma Cavallo the only out gay player men’s profsnal football, his isolatn stark a sport whose admistrators have lnched high-profile public mpaigns recent years embracg LGBT fans and only a handful of male players have ever e out, ntrast to the women’s game, which has easily blown past the same barrier: more than 40 lbian or bisexual players took part the 2019 women’s World Cup France, acrdg to Fifa. Crics have raised the fact that Fifa ntu to award World Cups to untri such as Rsia – where homophobia has been lled a “state‑sponsored” project – and Qatar, where same-sex acts are illegal, as evince of the erng body’s patchy mment to if holdg the tournament a untry wh strict penalti for homosexualy sent the wrong msage to gay footballers and fans, Cavallo, who has played for Atralia’s unr-20s ternatnal si, told the Guardian’s daily news podst that he would be aaid for his safety if asked to participate the 2022 Qatar World Cup.

THERE ARE 0 OUT GAY PLAYERS AT THE MEN’S WORLD CUP. THERE WERE 40 WOMEN 2019

'I'm a footballer and I'm gay': A-League player Josh Cavallo talks about his sexualy – vio“I read somethg along the l of that [they] give the ath penalty for gay people Qatar, so ’s somethg I’m very sred [of] and wouldn’t really want to go to Qatar for that, ” he said. At the end of the day the World Cup is Qatar and one of the greatt achievements as a profsnal footballer is to play for your untry, and to know that this is a untry that don’t support gay people and puts at risk of our own life, that do sre me and mak me re-evaluate – is my life more important than dog somethg really good my reer? ”Homosexual acts are banned unr several Qatari laws wh penalti rangg om at least a year to a prison.

Mlims the untry n be subject to Sharia law that bans any sexual activy outsi marriage wh punishments rangg up to the ath penalty, meang homosexual acts n technilly rult executn, though several human rights reports have said there is no evince any gay people have been executed for the offence.

A GAY GIRL’S GUI TO THE 2023 WOMEN’S WORLD CUP

”Along wh the appallg ndns for migrant workers buildg the astcture for the tournament, the prospect of gay fans or players beg arrted Qatar has dogged Fifa sce the emirate was announced as host of the tournament 2010.

GAY ATRALIAN FOOTBALLER JOSH CAVALLO SAYS WORLD CUP SHOULDN’T BE GOG TO QATAR, WHERE HOMOSEXUALY IS ILLEGAL

The anisatn’s then print, Sepp Blatter, fuelled the ntroversy the same year when he was asked if he had any advice for gay people who wanted to travel to the Gulf state for the petn. But they walk a fe le between acmodatg what are now mastream attus towards gay people much of the world and the untry’s own nservative relig the tournament has approached, Qatari officials have sought to reassure LGBT fans that they will be wele the untry and n exprs themselv – wh lims.

QATAR'S FIRST OPENLY GAY MAN HAS A MSAGE FOR FOOTBALL FANS AHEAD OF THE FIFA WORLD CUPNAS MOHAMED LEFT QATAR TO PE PERSECUTN BASED ON HIS SEXUALY. NOW, HE'S SPEAKG OUT.PUBLISHED 1 NOVEMBER 2022 5:50AMBY CAMERON WATTSSOURCE: SBS NEWSIMAGE: NAS MOHAMED ME OUT AS THE FIRST PUBLICLY GAY QATARI. SOURCE: INSTAGRAM VIA @NRKNYHETER (INSTAGRAM @NRKNYHETER)KEY POTSDUBBED THE “FIRST OPENLY GAY QATARI”, NAS MOHAMED SOUGHT ASYLUM THE US TO PE OPPRSIVE ANTI-GAY LAWS. HE'S G HIS PLATFORM TO ADVOTE FOR LGBTIQ+ RIGHTS AHEAD OF THE 2022 FIFA WORLD CUP DOHA.NAS SAYS LGBTIQ+ WORLD CUP ATTEN MAY BE AT RISK, SPE ASSURANC OM FIFA AND QATAR’S ERNMENT.BORN TO A TRADNAL ARABIC-SPEAKG HOEHOLD QATAR, NAS MOHAMED FELT HE WAS STED TO BE SET UP AN ARRANGED MARRIAGE TO A WOMAN.DURG HIS ADOLCENCE, NAS REALISED THAT WAS NOT A LIFE HE WOULD BE PABLE OF LIVG, BUT WH NO ACCS TO "ANY LGBT VISIBILY" QATAR UPLED WH THE THREAT OF PERSECUTN, HE FELT FORCED TO KEEP HIS SEXUALY HIDN. EARLIER THIS YEAR, NAS MA TERNATNAL HEADL AS "THE FIRST OPENLY GAY QATARI", AND HE'S G HIS PLATFORM TO ADVOTE FOR LGBTIQ+ RIGHTS AHEAD OF THE 2022 FIFA WORLD CUP DOHA. SAME-SEX SEXUAL ACTIVY IS A CRIMAL OFFENCE QATAR AND IS PUNISHABLE WH A JAIL SENTENCE OF UP TO SEVEN YEARS. PUNISHMENTS ARE UALLY HARSHER FOR LOL QATARIS THAN FOR FOREIGN WORKERS AND VISORS.ACRDG TO LGBT RIGHTS ADVOCY ANISATN HUMAN DIGNY TST, QATAR ALSO OPERAT AN TERPRETATN OF SHARIA LAW " WHICH IS TECHNILLY POSSIBLE FOR MEN WHO ENGAGE SAME-SEX TIMACY TO BE SENTENCED TO ATH". "THERE IS SOME LIMED EVINCE OF THE LAW BEG ENFORCED RECENT YEARS, HOWEVER REPORTS ARE RARE," HUMAN DIGNY TST SAYS. READ MORE'WE, THE LGBTI MUNY, ARE SUFFERG': IRAN SENTENC TWO WOMEN TO ATH FOR PROMOTG HOMOSEXUALYNAS CID 11 YEARS AGO, AT AGE 24, TO TRAVEL TO THE UNED STAT AND STUDY A POST-GRADUATE MEDIL GREE.HE LEFT QATAR KNOWG HE WOULD NOT BE RETURNG TO HIS HOMELAND.UNSURE HOW HE WAS GOG TO STAY THE US, NAS APPLIED FOR POLIL ASYLUM ON THE GROUNDS HE WOULD FACE PERSECUTN BACK HOME QATAR. IN 2017, THE US ERNMENT ACCEPTED HIS CLAIMS AND GRANTED ASYLUM.I LEFT WH THE TENTN OF NOT GOG BACK.NAS MOHAMEDEARLIER THIS YEAR HE CID TO PUBLICLY E OUT AS GAY, LEADG TO MEDIA OUTLETS DUBBG HIM “THE FIRST OPENLY GAY QATARI”, ALTHOUGH AT THE TIME HE DIDN’T REALISE THAT HE WAS THE FIRST.NAS SAID THE 2022 FIFA WORLD CUP BEG HOSTED QATAR WAS THE TALYST FOR PUBLICLY G OUT, AS WAS “STRIKG NOBODY WAS SPEAKG OUT” ABOUT LGBTIQ+ RIGHTS HIS HOMELAND."I WAS TRYG TO GET ATTENTN WHOUT G OUT,” HE SAID, BUT HE FOUND LTLE TRACTN.NAS MOHAMED FELT PELLED TO E OUT PUBLICLY AHEAD OF THE WORLD CUP QATAR. CRED: INSTAGRAM @DR._NASSNAS EXPLAED THAT WHILE HE KNOWS PLENTY OF LGBTIQ+ PEOPLE QATAR, HE WAS SURPRISED TO FD OUT HE WAS THE FIRST QATARI TO E OUT AS GAY. THE NATN'S HARDLE STANCE ON SAME-SEX RELATNS NTRIBUT TO THE SECRECY.WHEN NAS WAS STILL LIVG QATAR, HE SAID UNRVER BTS AND TFISHG BY POLICE WERE KNOWN PRACTIC TO TCH AND PUNISH MEMBERS OF THE LGBTIQ+ MUNY.READ MOREHUMAN RIGHTS CHAMPN CRAIG FOSTER ON WHY HE'S STILL TAKG PART THE QATAR WORLD CUPNAS' MSAGE FOR LGBTIQ+ PEOPLE ATTENDG THE WORLD CUPNAS WARNED LGBTIQ+ PEOPLE VISG DOHA FOR THE WORLD CUP TO “BE REFUL”.WHILE PRI FLAGS WILL BE OFFICIALLY PERMTED STADIUMS, THEY MIGHT NOT BE WILY WELED, NAS SAID. "I DON'T THK PUBLIC DISPLAY OF RABOW FLAGS OR RALLI WOULD BE PRODUCTIVE," HE SAID.ALTHOUGH VISORS TO THE NATN ARE GENERALLY LS LIKELY TO BE PERSECUTED FOR SAME-SEX SEXUAL ACTIVY, NAS WARNED THAT FANS WHO “DON’T PASS” AS HETEROSEXUAL MAY BE SGLED OUT BY LOLS.NAS EXPLAED THAT SOME QATARIS SEE LGBTIQ+ VISIBILY AS “AN TENTNAL ASSLT ON THEM”.NAS MOHAMED NOW LIV SAN FRANCIS THE UNED STAT AS AN OPENLY GAY MAN. CRED: INSTAGRAM @DR._NASSFIFA AND QATARI OFFICIALS HAVE ASSURED VISORS TO THE NATN THAT THEY WILL BE EE OM DISCRIMATN, BUT GUTS ARE EXPECTED TO ADHERE TO THE CULTURAL NORMS OF QATAR.SHOULD FIFA AND WORLD CUP PLAYERS BE CHAMPNG LGBTIQ+ RIGHTS QATAR?NAS BELIEV THAT TEAMS, PLAYERS AND FIFA SHOULD BE ADVOTG LOUST FOR LGBTIQ+ RIGHTS DURG THE WORLD CUP QATAR. “THEY’RE NOT GOG TO BE HARMED,” HE SAID, TELLG ATTEN THEY SHOULD FOC ON THEIR OWN SAFETY FIRST.“BIG AND UNAPOLOGETIC VISIBILY IS THE RPONSIBILY OF THE TEAMS, PLAYERS AND FIFA.”IN OCTOBER, ATRALIA'S SOCCEROOS EXPRSED CRICISM OF THE QATARI ERNMENT’S STANCE ON LGBTIQ+ RIGHTS AS WELL AS NDNS FACED BY MIGRANT WORKERS A JOT STATEMENT.IN A VIO SHARED ON SOCIAL MEDIA, 16 SOCCEROOS PLAYERS LLED ON QATAR TO CRIMALISE SAME-SEX RELATNSHIPS."AS PLAYERS, WE FULLY SUPPORT THE RIGHTS OF THE LGBTI+ PEOPLE, BUT QATAR PEOPLE ARE NOT EE TO LOVE THE PERSON THEY CHOOSE. ADDRSG THE ISSU IS NOT EASY AND WE DON'T HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS," THEY SAID. "THIS MT CLU TABLISHG A MIGRANTS' ROURCE CENTRE, EFFECTIVE REMEDY FOR THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN NIED THEIR RIGHTS AND THE CRIMALISATN OF ALL SAME-SEX RELATNSHIPS."THE ARE BASIC RIGHTS THAT SHOULD BE AFFORD TO ALL AND WILL ENSURE NTUED PROGRS QATAR. THIS IS HOW WE N ENSURE A LEGACY THAT GO WELL BEYOND THE FAL WHISTLE OF THE 2022 FIFA WORLD CUP."READ MOREWHAT IS THE HUMAN ST OF THE WORLD CUP QATAR?THE SUPREME COMMTEE FOR DELIVERY AND LEGACY FOR THE QATAR WORLD CUP ACKNOWLEDGED THE SOCCEROOS' STATEMENT, SAYG MEND FOOTBALLERS "G THEIR PLATFORMS TO RAISE AWARENS FOR IMPORTANT MATTERS" AND ADDG THAT "NO UNTRY IS PERFECT".SEVERAL EUROPEAN TEAM PTAS HAVE ALSO ANNOUNCED THEIR TENTN TO WEAR RABOW PTA ARMBANDS THAT FEATURE THE WORDS “ONE LOVE” DURG THE WORLD CUP SUPPORT OF LGBTIQ+ RIGHTS.CAPTA OF THE GERMAN FOOTBALL TEAM JONAS HOFMANN SHOWS THE SPECIAL PTA'S ARMBAND AS A SIGN AGAST DISCRIMATN AND FOR DIVERSY. PHOTO: SEBASTIAN GOLLNOW/DPA SOURCE: DPA / SEBASTIAN GOLLNOWIN JUNE, NAS LNCHED A PETN ASKG FIFA TO E S FLUENCE TO STAND UP FOR LGBTIQ+ RIGHTS QATAR.IN AN OPEN LETTER TO FIFA PRINT GIANNI INFANTO, NAS WROTE THAT WHILE FIFA CELEBRAT QATAR AS A NATN SHOULD ALSO CELEBRATE LGBTIQ+ QATARIS WHO CURRENTLY "FEAR FOR THEIR SAFETY AND EEDOM”.“HUMAN RIGHTS VALU DON'T BELONG TO ONE NTENT, THEY'RE UNIVERSAL,” HE SAID.THE PETN IS NEARG S 80,000 SIGNATURE GOAL WH MORE THAN 70,000 PEOPLE HAVG ALREADY SIGNED SUPPORT.“LOVE IS NOT A CRIME, NOT JT THIS YEAR, BUT ALWAYS”, NAS SAID, URGG ANISATNS CLUDG FIFA TO NTUE TO ADVOTE FOR LGBTIQ+ RIGHTS QATAR AFTER THE WORLD CUP MOV ON.READ MOREDENMARK TO WEAR 'TONED DOWN' WORLD CUP K PROTT AGAST QATAR'S HUMAN RIGHTS RERDWHY AN ATRALIAN ACTIVIST STAGED A PROTT QATARHUMAN RIGHTS WATCH (HRW) RELEASED A REPORT OCTOBER OUTLG THE TREATMENT OF LGBTIQ+ PEOPLE QATAR, WH NAS NTRIBUTG TO THE FDGS BY NNECTG THE ANISATN TO PEOPLE QATAR.THE REPORT NTAS THE ACUNTS OF SIX LGBTIQ+ PEOPLE WHO SAY THEY WERE ARRTED, ATTACKED, AND KEPT SOLARY NFEMENT BEE OF THEIR SEXUALY OR GENR.NAS SE EVINCE-BASED REPORTG AS SENTIAL FOR BRGG AWARENS TO THE NDNS FACED BY LGBTIQ+ PEOPLE QATAR, SAYG THAT SIAR REPORTG WAS NOT AVAILABLE WHEN HE SOUGHT ASYLUM THE US.“WHEN I WAS FENDG MY ASYLUM SE, NOT HAVG EVINCE-BASED UNTRY NDNS FOR LGBT PEOPLE WAS AN OBSTACLE FOR ME, BEE THEY QUTNED WHETHER MY CLAIMS OF PROSECUTNS WERE REAL OR NOT,” HE SAID.THE REPORTG BY HRW PROMPTED ATRALIAN ACTIVIST PETER TATCHELL TO STAGE A PROTT THE STREETS OF DOHA LAST MONTH, DURG WHICH HE HELD A SIGN THAT READ “QATAR ARRTS, JAILS & SUBJECTS LGBTS TO 'NVERSN'”. IN JUNE, MR INFANTO EXPRSED NFINCE QATAR'S PROMIS OF AN CLIVE WORLD CUP. “WE'VE RECEIVED THE NECSARY GUARANTE, WE ARE TRAG ALL THE OFFICIALS, WE ARE WORKG HAND HAND WH THE ERNMENT, WH THE POLICE THORI, EVERYONE WILL BE WELE,” THE FIFA BOSS SAID.IN OCTOBER, HE HIGHLIGHTED FIFA'S ROLE PROMOTG HUMAN RIGHTS AND EQUALY – SCRIBG THE WORLD CUP AS “A TOURNAMENT OF PEACE AND UNY”. FIFA QATAR 2022 CHIEF OPERATG OFFICER COL SMH SAID THE WORLD FOOTBALL ERNG BODY SAW "THE POWER AND STRENGTH OF THE WORLD CUP AS A TALYST FOR CHANGE THE REGN". FIFA PRINT GIANNI INFANTO (CENTRE) WH RSIAN PRINT VLADIMIR PUT, AND THE EMIR OF QATAR SHEIKH TAMIM B HAMAD AL-THANI DURG 2018 FIFA WORLD CUP MOSW. CRED: ALEXEI NIKOLSKY/APWHEN ASKED ABOUT THE RIGHTS OF VISORS OM THE LGBTIQ+ MUNY EARLIER THIS YEAR, EMIR OF QATAR SHEIKH TAMIM B HAMAD AL-THANI SAID: “WE WELE EVERYBODY, BUT WE ALSO EXPECT AND WANT PEOPLE TO RPECT OUR CULTURE”.THE ANISG MTEE FOR THE QATAR WORLD CUP SPOKE WH SBS NEWS EARLIER THE YEAR AND SAID THAT LGBTIQ+ FANS WOULD NOT FACE ANY DISCRIMATN DURG THE TOURNAMENT.BUT NAS IS NCERNED THE PUBLIC RELATNS BY FIFA AND THE QATARI ERNMENT MIMISE THE "REAL LIFE NSEQUENC" FACED BY LGBTIQ+ PEOPLE QATAR. READ MOREWE ASKED IF GAY FANS WILL BE SAFE AT THE FIFA WORLD CUP QATAR. THIS IS WHAT THE HOSTS SAIDDPE THIS, HE HOP THAT CREASED VISIBILY BROUGHT BY THE WORLD CUP ULD BE A STEP TOWARDS OVERG THE OPPRSN OF LGBTIQ+ QATARIS.“BY THE END OF THE YEAR, WE WILL BE VISIBLE. I THK THAT'S A REALLY POSIVE CHANGE,” HE SAID.SBS NEWS PUT NAS' NCERNS ABOUT LGBTIQ+ RIGHTS TO FIFA AND THE QATARI ERNMENT. FIFA RPOND WH A STATEMENT OUTLG S POLICY TO UPHOLD HUMAN RIGHTS TERNATNALLY, SAYG THAT “FIFA’S POSN ON CLIVY AND THE PROTECTN OF HUMAN RIGHTS IS UNEQUIVOL”.FIFA LNCH S LGBTQIA0 WORK WH THE RAISG OF THE PRI FLAG AT S ZURICH HEADQUARTERS. CRED: FIFA“FIFA IS NFINT THAT ALL NECSARY MEASUR WILL BE PLACE FOR LGBTIQ+ FANS AND ALLI TO ENJOY THE TOURNAMENT A WELG AND SAFE ENVIRONMENT, JT AS FOR EVERYONE ELSE.” THE STATEMENT SAID.IN A STATEMENT TO SBS NEWS, A QATARI OFFICIAL SAID THAT "EVERYONE IS WELE QATAR", ADDG THAT "A SENSIVE APPROACH TO SECURY WILL BE ADOPTED" DURG THE WORLD CUP TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF ALL FANS.THE OFFICIAL ADD THAT VISORS SHOULD "RPECT LOL VALU AND CULTURE".SHARETAGSSPORTLIFEFIFA WORLD CUP 2022FIFA WORLD CUPTOPICS

”Prsed at the time over how Qataris would react to a gay uple holdg hands, Khater said they would be treated the same as a heterosexual uple.

“It don’t matter if you’re lbian, if you’re gay, ’s for everyone.

‘NOBODY FEELS UNSAFE HERE’: GAY FOOTBALLER JOSH CAVALLO TOLD HE IS WELE AT QATAR WORLD CUP

Homosexualy Qatar is illegal and punishable by up to three years prison. But there have been mixed msag wh a World Cup ambassador and former footballer Khalid Salman sayg earlier this month that homosexualy was “damage the md, ” an terview wh German broadster ZDF.

He is a regular at England ternatnals and was once the victim of a homophobic asslt, he says, at Wembley four years ago, ahead of England’s match agast Spa 2018, when he had an altertn wh another fan.

Gay rights are takg center stage at this year’s men’s World Cup, thanks to the host untry’s diabolil treatment of LGBTQ people. But the strongt statement agast the Qatari’s medieval stance on LGBTQ rights would be an out gay player participatg the tournament.