The ambassador for the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar said today that the claim that homosexuality is a “mental disorder” has been taken out of context following protests on behalf of the LGBTQI+ community.
“I’m sorry that what I said was taken out of context because our religion and our nature is not to offend or offend,” Khalid Salman tweeted.
According to Salman, “everyone is welcome in Qatar”, but “the religion and culture of the country will not change because of the World Cup.”
“A lot will happen in this country at the World Cup. Speaking of gays. […] the most important thing is that everyone accepts that they come here, but they must also accept our rules,” the former Qatari international said in an interview with German public broadcaster ZDF published on Tuesday.
homosexuality is a crime in this country, which has been heavily criticized by non-governmental organizations for either persecuting the LGBTQI+ community or violating the human rights of migrant workers.
While the Qatari authorities deny it, several organizations point to thousands of deaths in the country between 2010 and 2019 in connection with the hosting of the World Cup. According to the British newspaper The Guardian in February this year, this figure is 6,500 deaths. , a number considered conservative by many.
Over the past few years, numerous organizations and institutions have also called for the protection of the rights of supporters and others belonging to the gay and transgender community, given the persecution they face on Qatari soil.
In May, six months before the start of the competition, Amnesty International, along with associations such as Human Rights Watch, signed an open letter to FIFA President Gianni Infantino asking him to invest the same amount as prizes awarded to national teams. work in the compensation mechanism.
The Men’s World Cup will take place from November 20 to December 18, with Portugal qualifying for Group H along with Uruguay, Ghana and South Korea.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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