Gay football fans should not have to compromise in Qatar, says Nadhim Zahawi

Zahawi told LBC Radio: ‘No one should need to compromise on their sexuality or their preference whatsoever.’ Photograph: Matthew Ashton/AMA/Getty Images

The Conservative party chair has said LGBTQ+ football fans travelling to next month’s World Cup in Qatar should not have to compromise on their sexuality, despite the foreign secretary saying fans should “respect” Qatar’s culture just a day earlier.

Nadhim Zahawi told LBC Radio that no one should have to compromise on their identity if they wanted to attend the tournament. He said: “I would say you should not compromise on your identity or your sexuality or your sexual preference in any way. Of course you are safe to go to the World Cup. No one should have to compromise at all in my view.