Qatari authorities have failed to give a guarantee to travelling LGBTQ+ supporters that they will be safe at the World Cup, prompting leading organisations to advocate against travel to the tournament.
The Guardian this week presented the Supreme Committee, the body in charge of organising the World Cup, with a series of direct questions related to LGBTQ+ fans and their concerns, but received no specific answers.
The questions included whether:
LGBTQ+ people would be protected by Qatari authorities if threatened because of their sexuality.
Articles of the Qatari penal code, including those which outlaw “leading, instigating or seducing a male in any way to commit sodomy”, would be suspended during the tournament.
Fans carrying rainbow flags would be allowed to take them into stadiums.
The Supreme Committee would specifically welcome LGBTQ+ people as World Cup visitors.
A general reply said: “Everyone will be welcome to Qatar in 2022, regardless of their race, background, religion, gender, sexual orientation or nationality. We are a relatively conservative society – for example, public displays of affection are not a part of our culture. We believe in mutual respect and so whilst everyone is welcome, what we expect in return is for everyone to respect our culture and traditions.”
The Guardian approached a representative of Qatar’s government communications office with the first two of those questions and received no response.
Fears over safety have been rising among LGBTQ+ supporter groups as dialogue with organisers has stalled. Anne Lieberman, a founding member of the LGBTIQ Human Rights Sports Coalition, said the group had been in discussion with Qatari authorities for nearly two years but had yet to receive categorical safety assurances.
“This quite clearly suggests to us that LGBTIQ people, whatever their role, will not be protected from the state and its repressive anti-LGBTIQ legislation, or from other potential risks to their safety,” Lieberman said.
An unwillingness on the part of Qatari authorities to address concerns directly, or even to mention the term LGBTQ+, has led to a situation where groups are effectively recommending a boycott of the tournament.
Lou Englefield of the organisation Football v Homophobia said: “I know of no European LGBTIQ supporters’ group, or individual supporters, who are currently planning to attend this World Cup. The position of the Supreme Committee is just not in keeping with the undertakings they must have given to Fifa. How can an international sporting event which expects millions of visitors not be open to reassuring a large minority group who have well-founded fears that they will be safe and welcome? We have never seen anything like this.”
Fifa told the Guardian it believed it had received sufficient assurances from Qatari authorities regarding fan safety and the application of the law, although no specific details were shared.
In a letter to the Human Rights Sports Coalition seen by the Guardian, Fifa’s Joyce Cook, then the chief social responsibility and education officer and now a senior adviser, said the governing body had “thoroughly assessed the named legal clauses and their implementation in practice, including in particular as they pertain to LGBTIQ+ persons”.
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She wrote: “Based on our engagement with the relevant Qatari authorities, and following existing government guarantees, and the event-specific legislation, as well as our experience of hosting other events in Qatar, Fifa is confident that persons identifying as LGBTIQ+ will not face any repercussions based on the above mentioned legal provisions.”
LGBTQ+ organisations say a lack of specifics and public communication has reinforced concerns. Even the issue of whether fans will be able to fly rainbow flags in Doha without repercussions remains unresolved.
According to Lieberman: “Fifa has had a responsibility from the beginning to ensure the proper human rights due diligence was done, and a positive legacy for all is left, and now we are less than 150 days out still fighting for basic safety assurances.”
Last Thursday Fifa published figures showing 1.8m tickets have been sold for the World Cup, which begins on 21 November. It is an increase of a million on the previous total and remaining tickets will be available on a first come, first served basis from Tuesday. “Fans interested in an unforgettable trip of a lifetime to Qatar are being urged to act swiftly before the coveted seats are snapped up,” Fifa said.
