Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price has launched a new attack on Mark Drakeford's decision to travel to the Qatar World Cup, following 'hateful' comments made by a World Cup ambassador. Former Qatari international footballer Khalid Salman, who is now a public face of the tournament, told a German broadcaster: "They have to accept our rules here," adding that homosexuality was a "damage in the mind."
Mr Price said in First Minister's Questions on Tuesday, November 8, that Salman's comments (which included suggestions that children would be harmed by learning about LGBTQ+ people) showed the issues LGBTQ+ people would face at the tournament. He said: "You referred to the Rainbow Wall; of course, they've decided that they cannot go to this World Cup.
"I've seen discussion that the Football Association of Wales is having with the Qatar Government about creating safe houses for LGBTQ+ people, but the fact that there even has to be that discussion, and that there can be no guarantee ultimately that LGBTQ+ people will not be subject to discrimination and, indeed, even imprisonment, I think shows the gravity of the situation that we're facing.
