Confn, exasperatn and datg apps – my month as a gay reporter at the Qatar World Cup - The Athletic

Contents:

• GAY MAN 'HUNTED' BY QATAR POLICE AND GANG-RAPED HOTEL ROOM AHEAD OF WORLD CUP
• A GAY GIRL’S GUI TO THE 2023 WOMEN’S WORLD CUP
• WORLD CUP 2022, GAY ATHLET AND LGBTQ CLN
• CONFN, EXASPERATN AND DATG APPS – MY MONTH AS A GAY REPORTER AT THE QATAR WORLD CUP

GAY MAN 'HUNTED' BY QATAR POLICE AND GANG-RAPED HOTEL ROOM AHEAD OF WORLD CUP

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

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

Remarks by a Qatar World Cup ambassador have been lled “harmful and unacceptable” after he scribed homosexualy as “damage the md” Salman, a former Qatar ternatnal footballer, ma the ments an terview wh the German broadster about the fact that homosexualy is illegal his untry, Salman said: “They have to accept our l here.

[Homosexualy] is haram. Yet the host untry has not repealed or spend laws that crimalize homosexualy. The arrt of a gay fan would explo to an ternatnal cint and mar a tournament whose primary geopolil purpose is to sportwash the image of Qatar the ey of the even the slightt uncertaty would create lgerg disfort.

(Photo by Nikku/Xhua via Getty Imag)Fans unnvced Qatar is openg s doors 'whout discrimatn'Unr Sharia law, homosexualy is punishable by ath, a fact that ntributed to the spread of misrmatn and exaggerated fears as the World Cup neared. But the Qatari penal do punish any extramaral sex, cludg gay sex, wh up to seven years prison; and “leadg, stigatg, or scg a male to m sodomy or dissipatn” wh 1-3 years. ”Qatari thori have given dozens of assuranc, public and private, wh varyg gre of specificy and vaguens, that the so-lled “moraly” laws will sentially not be enforced durg the World Tamim B Hamad Al-Thani, the Emir of Qatar, told the Uned Natns General Assembly September that his natn would be “openg our doors … whout discrimatn, ” acrdg to a print Gianni Infanto has urged LGBTQ fans to attend, and, a vio msage one month before kickoff, specifilly mentned “genr” and “sexual orientatn” as ax of Al-Khater, the Supreme Commtee’s CEO, has said that gay fans will be allowed to hold hands, and Pri flags will be tolerated.

WORLD CUP 2022, GAY ATHLET AND LGBTQ CLN

“Here is a untry that is lerally on rerd as sayg, any other time, if you're gay, this is very very bad for you, ” one Amerin fan who ultimately cid not to attend told Yahoo Sports. The World Cup will start jt two weeks' time, spe grave ncerns over Qatar's rerd on human rights, wh the Middle East untry ntug to persecute the LGBT+ munyA gay man has claimed he was hunted by police ahead of the upg World CupA gay man who has prevly livg Qatar has claimed he was 'hunted' by the untry's police force before beg gang-raped a hotel room.

One of the biggt ncerns about the Middle East untry is s laws which outlaw homosexualy, wh LGBT+ people the untry at risk of imprisonment or even the ath penalty. One gay man om the Philipp who worked Qatar as an office assistant, has told how he was lured to a hotel and gang-raped by police.

The man, 'Ali', told the i that he received a msage on a gay datg app om a man claimg to be a Turkish worker. The police officers then searched his bag, accg him of beg a prostute, before another gay man arrived after also beg lured to a hotel. Acrdg to the report, several other gay men have claimed they were 'hunted' the same way by Qatar's police force.

CONFN, EXASPERATN AND DATG APPS – MY MONTH AS A GAY REPORTER AT THE QATAR WORLD CUP

It will be a glor month to be a gay fan. Last time at the 2019 Women’s World Cup, the Netherlands lay claim to the honor of beg the team wh the most out LGBTQ players, but this year Atralia boasts 10 out players and overtak them for the tle of Gayt Team 2k23.

Ireland’s historic entry to the tournament marks another triumph for out midfielr Sead Farrelly, whose natnal team but and 2023 return to the NWSL e more than six years after retirg om soccer the wake of systemic homophobic and sexual abe wh the league, which the Athletic first reported on 2021.

FIFA vtigatg Mexi anti-gay chant before team was booted om the World Cup. Mexi gave up the elimatg goal jt sends after their fans chanted the gay slur yet aga.