Qatar World Cup 2022: Will gay football fans be safe? | SBS News

gay football players in world cup 2022

Gary Leker wants to see a Premier League player e out as gay durg the World Cup Qatar, where homosexualy remas a crime

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

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.” * gay football players in world cup 2022 *

'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.

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

Qatar has moved to reassure the gay Atralian footballer he should not be aaid to vis the untry, where homosexualy is illegal * gay football players in world cup 2022 *

Atralian footballer Josh Cavallo would be wele at next year’s World Cup, the chief executive of the tournament Qatar has said, spe the untry’s laws agast Alai Uned player, who beme the world’s only current openly gay top-flight profsnal footballer when he me out last month, told the Guardian at the time he would be “sred” to play the Gulf state. Homosexualy is illegal Qatar and punishable by a penalti rangg om floggg to imprisonment and executn, but tournament aniser Nasser Al Khater assured gay fans they uld feel safe there, as long as they act nservatively.

“They [gay people] will be g to Qatar as fans of a football tournament.

”Homosexualy is potentially punishable by the ath penalty for Mlims the untry unr sharia law, although human rights reports have said there is no evince any gay people have been executed for the 2022 Qatar World Cup chief executive Nasser Al Khater. “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.

THE OUTSPORTS GAY-IENDLY WORLD CUP RANKGS OF ALL 32 TEAMS

It has been almost a year sce Josh Cavallo announced he is gay, but even now he still stggl to prehend the far-reachg impact his announcement has had – pecially as he has begun to speak out on major issu, notably the Qatar World Cup. * gay football players in world cup 2022 *

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? Wh the event Qatar — a horrible place for LGBTQ people — and wh no openly gay players this is not an event that one n watch whout mixed feelgs. DEATH (OR PRISON) TO THE GAYS GROUP.

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

A rerd number of out LGBTQ players make this year’s tournament a feast for gay fans. * gay football players in world cup 2022 *

The Equaly Inx says: “Homosexualy is illegal. As well physil and vlent homophobic attacks agast LGBT people are mon, often enuraged by the media and relig and polil lears.

Reports of young gay people beg kicked out of their hom are also mon.

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

After beg the only current, openly gay player men’s top-flight football last month, Josh Cavallo says a new terview wh the Guardian that he would be “sred” to play at the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar bee of the untry’s homosexualy laws. * gay football players in world cup 2022 *

Bottom le: If you are openly gay Iran, you will be killed. None of the untri allow same-sex marriage and the culture often disapprov of beg gay.

” From Rters: “Numero lol thori Poland passed rolutns 2019 clarg themselv ee of “LGBT iology”, part of a nflict the predomantly Catholic untry between liberals and relig nservativ, who see the stggle for gay rights as a threat to tradnal valu. Homosexualy is still a taboo South Korea, though there has been some progrs. In 2010, Argenta beme the first untry Lat Ameri to legalize gay marriage.

The feat of vilent homophobe Jair Bolsonaro for print is a big al.

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

* gay football players in world cup 2022 *

France ranks seventh the 2022 ILGA-Europe (Internatnal Lbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Assn. There is still homophobia, though, among a segment of fans who chant the gay slur “puto” at opposg players. 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.

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

Homosexualy is banned Qatar but FA chief executive Mark Bullgham says he has received assuranc over the rights of gay fans attendg the World Cup * gay football players in world cup 2022 *

Dorn says there are multiple possible explanatns for the arth of gay players the men’s World Cup, rangg om soccer culture to the lotn of the event self. There are a growg number of out pro male soccer players: Sttish player Zanr Murray and English player Jake Daniels me out as gay earlier this year.

This outdated mentaly fails to regnize the wdfall that awas out gay and bi athlet male sports. Police harass and abe gay people, and homosexualy is illegal. Those who are ught engagg homosexual acts n be jailed, and Mlims n be executed.

Qatar’s World Cup ambassador recently lled homosexualy “damage the md.

GAY FOOTBALLER JOSH CAVALLO SAYS HE WOULD BE ‘SRED’ TO PLAY AT THE 2022 WORLD CUP QATAR

“If I had an out gay ach 20 years ago, I would’ve e out 20 years ago, ” said Dorn.

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.

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

”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. '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. ”Homosexual acts are banned unr several Qatari laws wh penalti rangg om at least a year to a prison.

‘DRANIAN’: GAY FOOTBALLER JOSH CAVALLO HS OUT AT FIFA OVER RABOW ARMBAND EDICT

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. ”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.

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. ”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.

GARY LEKER HOP MALE GAY FOOTBALLER WILL E OUT DURG QATAR 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.

DAVID BECKHAM’S ‘STAT AS A GAY IN WILL BE SHREDD’ IF HE NTU AS QATAR WORLD CUP AMBASSADOR SAYS BRISH EDIAN

World's only openly gay active pro footballer is ncerned for LGBTQ muny ahead of Qatar 2022.

It has been almost a year sce Josh Cavallo announced he is gay, but even now he still stggl to prehend the far-reachg impact his announcement has had – pecially as he has begun to speak out on major issu, notably the Qatar World Cup. A year on, Cavallo remas the only openly gay top-flight male footballer the world – he plays for Alai Uned Atralia’s A League – but his cisn spired Jake Daniels, a forward for English send divisn club Blackpool, to e out May of this year. “It was jt the uncertaty, seeg that there was no active gay footballer that’s e out before and there was no plan wh , ” he rells.

WE ASKED IF GAY FANS WILL BE SAFE AT THE FIFA WORLD CUP QATAR. THIS IS WHAT THE HOSTS SAIDSBS NEWS TRAVELLED TO QATAR TO QUTN THE HUMAN RIGHTS ISSU THREATENG TO OVERSHADOW THE WORLD'S BIGGT FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT, WHICH KICKS OFF ON 21 NOVEMBER.EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF GENERATN AMAZG, NASSER AL-KHORI, SAYS QATAR WANTS TO SHOW THE WORLD IS A PROGRSIVE STATE THE MIDDLE EAST. CRED: ADRIAN ARCIULIALMOST 12 YEARS AGO, QATAR SHOCKED THE WORLD, WNG THE RIGHT TO HOST THE WORLD’S BIGGT FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT.THEN FIFA PRINT SEPP BLATTER ANNOUNCED WOULD BEE THE FIRST MIDDLE EASTERN NATN TO STAGE THE TOURNAMENT 2022, WH ATRALIA AMONG THOSE OVERLOOKED. ATRALIA RECEIVED JT ONE VOTE AFTER SPENDG MORE THAN $40 LN ON S BID.BUT THERE WAS A PROBLEM; QATAR'S RERD ON HUMAN RIGHTS. LGBTIQ+ RIGHTSHOMOSEXUAL ACTIVY IS A CRIMAL OFFENCE QATAR AND IS PUNISHABLE WH A JAIL SENTENCE — EVEN ATH SOME CIRCUMSTANC.BUT THE ANISG MTEE FOR THIS YEAR'S FIFA WORLD CUP QATAR HAS TOLD SBS NEWS LGBTIQ+ FANS WON'T FACE ANY DISCRIMATN DURG THE TOURNAMENT.FANS OF GERMANY'S MEN'S FOOTBALL TEAM HOLD UP SIGNS AT WEMBLEY DURG EURO 2020 LAST YEAR. SOURCE: GETTY / MARK GILLIAR - GES SPORTFOTOFATMA AL-NUAIMI, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITNS FOR THE SUPREME COMMTEE FOR DELIVERY & LEGACY OF THE TOURNAMENT, SAYS QATAR HAS HOSTED AROUND 600 TERNATNAL EVENTS SCE BEG AWARD HOSTG RIGHTS AND CLAIMS THERE HASN’T BEEN ONE CINT OF DISCRIMATN.“WE KEEP ASSURG EVERYONE THAT EVERYONE IS WELE,” MS AL-NUAIMI TOLD SBS NEWS.“EVERYONE WILL BE ABLE TO E, ENJOY THE GAM AND SUPPORT THEIR TEAMS, REGARDLS OF THEIR BACKGROUND, RELIGN OR GENR.”FATMA AL-NUAIMI SAYS QATAR HAS HOSTED AROUND 600 TERNATNAL EVENTS SCE BEG AWARD THE FIFA WORLD CUP RIGHTS.FANS THOUGH AREN'T SO SURE. FOR THE SEND FIFA WORLD CUP SUCCSN, JAM CARDALL HAS ZERO TERT ATTENDG.MR CARDALL, WHO IS THE PRINT OF PRI FOOTBALL ATRALIA, SAYS ’S "DISGRACEFUL" THAT FIFA HAS AWARD NSECUTIVE EDNS OF THE TOURNAMENT TO UNTRI [RSIA AND QATAR] THAT HE BELIEV HAVE "DIRE AND POOR" OPNS OF THE LGBTIQ+ MUNY.“CONSIRG THEY BRAND FOOTBALL AS THE GLOBAL GAME, 'S QUE HYPOCRIL,” HE SAID. READ MORETHE WORLD CUP QATAR IS LS THAN A YEAR AWAY; HERE’S WHY LGBTIQ+ SOCCEROOS FANS WON’T BE GOGIT'S EXPECTED MORE THAN A LN PEOPLE WILL TRAVEL TO QATAR FOR THIS YEAR'S FIFA WORLD CUP. BUT FOR PRI FOOTBALL ATRALIA'S 500 MEMBERS, 'S A TRIP NOT ONE OF THEM WILL BE MAKG.“WE DON'T FEEL CLUD, WE ACTUALLY FEEL EXCLUD OM THE TOURNAMENT SELF,” MR CARDALL SAID.“I THK 'S A PRETTY POOR SHOWG OM FIFA AND QATAR AS WELL.”FIFA, THE ERNG BODY FOR WORLD FOOTBALL, REMAS NFINT THE PROMIS OF CLN WILL BE UPHELD, ADDG THAT SUPPORTERS WILL BE EE TO FLY RABOW FLAGS AT MATCH.“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,” FIFA PRINT GIANNI INFANTO TOLD THE QATAR ENOMIC FOM LATE JUNE.NASSER AL-KHORI, WHO LEADS GENERATN AMAZG, A SOCIAL AND HUMAN LEGACY IATIVE FOR THE SUPREME COMMTEE FOR DELIVERY & LEGACY OF THE TOURNAMENT, SAID QATAR WAS MORE PROGRSIVE THAN S NEIGHBOURS BUT HOP ALL VISORS WILL RPECT QATARI CULTURE AND TRADNS.“WE WANT TO SHOW TO THE WORLD THAT WE ARE SORT OF A PROGRSIVE STATE THE REGN,” MR AL-KHORI TOLD SBS NEWS.“WE ARE MORNISG, BUT OUR OWN SORT OF WAY, STICKG TO OUR INTY, OUR CULTURE, OUR ROOTS.”NASSER AL-KHORI SAYS QATAR WANTS TO SHOW THE WORLD IS A PROGRSIVE STATE THE MIDDLE EAST CRED: ADRIAN ARCIULITHE MSAGG AROUND CULTURE FOLLOWS THAT OF THE EMIR OF QATAR, SHEIKH TAMIM B HAMAD AL-THANI.WHEN ASKED A QUTN EARLIER THIS YEAR ABOUT THE RIGHTS OF VISORS OM THE LGBTIQ+ MUNY, HE SAID: “WE WELE EVERYBODY, BUT WE ALSO EXPECT AND WANT PEOPLE TO RPECT OUR CULTURE”. BUT WRG A CANADIAN NEWSPAPER LAST MONTH, RASHA YOUN, A REARCHER WH HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH'S LBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, AND TRANSGENR RIGHTS PROGRAM, SAID: "QATAR’S STEADY REFERENCE TO “CULTURE” TO NY LGBT PEOPLE’S RIGHTS FLECTS RPONSIBILY AWAY OM ABIVE STATE SYSTEMS". "'CULTURE' SHOULD NOT BE ED AS A VER FOR DISURSE, PRACTIC, AND LEGISLATN THAT HAVE EFFECTIVELY EXCLUD NTENT RELATED TO SEXUAL ORIENTATN AND GENR INTY OM THE PUBLIC SPHERE."WORKER RIGHTSWHEN QATAR WAS AWARD HOSTG RIGHTS 2010, THE NATN HAD A POPULATN OF JT 1.85 LN PEOPLE. IT HAS SCE GROWN TO ALMOST 3 LN. THE TOTAL LAND SIZE OF THE GULF NATN IS ONLY 11,751 SQUARE KILOMETR, MAKG SMALLER THAN SYDNEY.HOSTG THE FIFA WORLD CUP WAS EVERY B THE GROUND-BREAKG OPPORTUNY FOR QATAR — THE FIRST THE ARAB WORLD TO DO SO. IT REQUIRED SIGNIFINT VELOPMENT WH A WORKFORCE TO MATCH.THOANDS OF MIGRANTS HAVE BEEN DRAFTED TO PLETE THE WORK TIME BUT ACRDG TO HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS, MANY HAVE BEEN KILLED ON THE JOB.AMNTY INTERNATNAL ATRALIA REARCHER NIKA WHE SAYS ’S UNCLEAR EXACTLY HOW MANY WORKERS HAVE DIED BUILDG ASTCTURE RELATED TO THE FIFA WORLD CUP.READ MOREATRALIAN FOOTBALL STAR SAM KERR BE FIRST WOMAN TO APPEAR ON GLOBAL FIFA VER“UNFORTUNATELY, QATAR DON'T PUBLISH STATISTICS ON WORKERS WHO'VE DIED,” MS WHE SAID. “WHAT WE DO KNOW IS THAT THOANDS OF PEOPLE HAVE DIED WORKG ON THE WORLD CUP AND WE KNOW THAT UNFORTUNATELY, THEIR ATHS HAVE NOT BEEN PROPERLY FOLLOWED UP BY THE QATAR THORI.”“OFTEN, THEY ARE VERY F HEALTHY YOUNG MEN AND THEY DIE AFTER WORKG REALLY LONG HOURS EXTREME NDNS AND EXTREME HEAT BUT THEIR ATHS ARE RERD AS NATURAL.”THE SUPREME COMMTEE FOR DELIVERY & LEGACY OF THE TOURNAMENT ACKNOWLEDG ATHS HAVE OCCURRED BUT SAYS QATAR HAS MA SIGNIFINT REFORMS TO PROTECT WORKERS RIGHTS, CLUDG ABOLISHG THE KAFALA SYSTEM.THE SYSTEM TIED WORKERS TO THEIR EMPLOYER, WHO WERE RPONSIBLE FOR THE WORKER’S VISA AND LEGAL STAT. HUMAN RIGHTS ANISATNS HAVE CRICISED THE SYSTEM, WHICH HAS SEEN EMPLOYERS WHHOLD WORKERS’ PASSPORTS.“I'M NOT SAYG WE ARE PERFECT,” MR AL-KHORI SAID.“BUT THERE HAVE BEEN MAJOR VELOPMENTS AND CHANG THE LABOUR LAWS THAT ARE FAVOUR OF THE WORKERS.”ATRALIA'S SOCCEROOS WILL PLAY THEIR WORLD CUP GROUP MATCH AT THE AL JANOUB STADIUM QATAR. CRED: SIDHIK KEERANTAKATH/EYEPIX GROUP/FUTURE PUBLISHG VIA GETTY IMAGAMNTY INTERNATNAL HAS URGED FIFA TO SET ASI US$440 LN ($631 LN) TO PENSATE WHAT CLAIMS IS HUNDREDS OF THOANDS OF MIGRANT WORKERS THAT SUFFERED HUMAN RIGHTS AB.“THEY [FIFA] ARE DUE TO MAKE [US]$6 BILLN [$8.6 BILLN] OFF THIS WORLD CUP. SO $440 LN IS A DROP THE OCEAN,” MS WHE SAID.ATRALIA WILL PLAY ALL THREE OF S GROUP STAGE MATCH, AGAST FRANCE, DENMARK AND TUNISIA AT AL JANOUB STADIUM AL-WAKRAH, WHICH IS ABOUT 20 MUT DRIVE OM QATAR'S PAL, DOHA.TEAMS, CLUDG THE SOCCEROOS, ARE NSIRG HIGHLIGHTG THE ISSUE OF HUMAN RIGHTS QATAR BY TAKG A LLECTIVE STAND WHEN THE TOURNAMENT STARTS ON 21 NOVEMBER.WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE YOUR STORY WH SBS NEWS? EMAIL LGBTIQ+ ATRALIANS SEEKG SUPPORT WH MENTAL HEALTH N NTACT QLIFE ON 1800 184 527 OR VIS .  ALSO HAS A LIST OF SUPPORT SERVIC.SHARE6 M READPUBLISHED 6 AUGT 2022 7:30AMBY ADRIAN ARCIULISOURCE: SBS NEWSAVAILABLE OTHER LANGUAGTAGSWORLDFIFA WORLD CUP 2022SHARE THIS WH FAY AND IENDSCOPY LKSHARETOPICS

Fashanu beme the first openly gay profsnal footballer after g out 1990 while playg the English top flight, but the backlash he suffered eventually led him to take his own life eight years later.

“It is so great to be gay. Earlier this month, former Spa ternatnals Iker Casillas and Carl Puyol were wily cricized after the former posted a tweet claimg he was gay.

In a now leted post on his official Twter acunt, Casillas wrote: “I hope I’ll be rpected: I’m gay. Cavallo says the exchange between Casillas and Puyol prov football still has “got a long way to go” to eradite homophobia, even if the sport has recently ma steps the right directn. It will be a glor month to be a gay fan.

I’M A GAY, UNNIST, FOOTBALL FAN – SO HOW N I WATCH THE FIFA WORLD CUP QATAR?

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.

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* GAY FOOTBALL PLAYERS IN WORLD CUP 2022

Gay-iendly World Cup rankgs of all 32 teams and LGBTQ polici - Outsports .

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