Qatar FIFA World Cup: Journalist detained, cellphone confiscated over LGBTQ T-shirt

On Monday (November 21), a journalist was detained by safety personnel for sporting a rainbow-coloured T-shirt to the Ahmad bin Ali stadium through the match between the United States and Wales.

The mentioned journalist, recognized as US-based Grant Wahl, wore the T-shirt to precise solidarity with the LGBTQ+ group. He was initially stopped by a safety guard and requested to take away his shirt.

Wahl’s cellphone was confiscated whereas he tried tweeting concerning the incident. The journalist was detained for about 25 minutes throughout which he was informed that his rainbow-coloured T-shirt was ‘political’ in nature.

Just now: Security guard refusing to let me into the stadium for USA-Wales. “You have to change your shirt. It’s not allowed.” pic.twitter.com/TvSGThMYq8

— Subscribe to GrantWahl.com (@GrantWahl) November 21, 2022

During his detention, the safety personnel additionally inquired whether or not he was from the United Kingdom. Reportedly, a journalist from The New York Times was additionally detained briefly when Grant Wahl informed him concerning the chain of occasions.

“One of the security guards told me they were just trying to protect me from fans inside who could harm me for wearing the shirt … A Fifa representative later apologized to me as well,” wrote Wahl in his Substack e-newsletter.

He additional added,“But the entire episode left me wondering: What’s it like for ordinary Qataris who might wear a rainbow shirt when the world isn’t watching here? What’s that like?”

Both FIFA and US Soccer representatives informed me publicly that rainbows on shirts and flags wouldn’t be an issue on the Qatar World Cup. The downside is that they don’t management this World Cup. The Qatari regime does, and it retains shifting the goalposts.https://t.co/1t1Wxz8w0P pic.twitter.com/ZJmNn8sKwD

— Subscribe to GrantWahl.com (@GrantWahl) November 22, 2022

Eventually, the US journalist was allowed entry into the Ahmad bin Ali stadium with the rainbow T-shirt. However, those that mouth platitudes about LGBTQ rights, free speech and freedom to put on garments of 1’s alternative disappeared in skinny air after Wahl narrated the incident on Twitter.

He was as a substitute reprimanded for going in opposition to the ‘culture’ of Qatar by imposing his humanitarian beliefs, that are alien to the tradition and traditions of the Islamic nation.

“Just respect their culture. You can wear that t-shirt when you’re in your own country. Stop making an issue out of it,” dictated one Twitter consumer.

Just respect there tradition you possibly can put on that t shirt when your in your personal nation cease makeing a problem out off it

— Duggan 🔴⚪️🔴⚪️ (@paul_dlfc) November 21, 2022

One Twitter consumer named Yousuf claimed that LGBTQ+ T-shirt is a political signal, which is disallowed in FIFA World Cup Stadiums. “People need to understand that there are rules and regulations they need to follow for the safety of all”, he mentioned whereas drawing false equivalence with the Iranian flag.

No political indicators are allowed in FIFA World Cup stadiums. LGBT flag,hat,t-shirt, poster,and so on is taken into account to be a political signal. Same goes to the Iranian flag that has lion. People want to know that there are guidelines and rules they should comply with for the protection of all

— ~Yousuf~🇶🇦 (@YusF97x) November 22, 2022

“May Allah bless the security guard and Qatar. Thank you for sharing this beautiful news,” one consumer applauded the detention of Grant Wahl.

May Allah bless the safety guard and Qatar. Thank you for sharing this lovely information.

— قناة أبوإسلام السلفي (@Salafization1) November 21, 2022

One Evelyn even went on responsible the LGBTQ+ group for supposedly making the FIFA World Cup about themselves.

Have failed to know why this group has made this soccer match about themselves.

— Evelyn (@Evelyn_Nakayi) November 21, 2022

“You are here in the Arabs, we do not want what you want, you talk about humanity and you are not good at it and you do not know what humanity means! You have to respect the Arabs. You have to respect the Arabs. We follow our religion above all. Respect respect respect,” claimed a consumer confused between humanity and xenophobia.

You are right here within the Arabs, we don’t need what you need, you speak about humanity and you aren’t good at it and also you have no idea what humanity means! You should respect the Arabs. You should respect the Arabs. We comply with our faith above all، respect respect respect 🤫

— بورغيس (@Mufc4i) November 22, 2022

A Twitter consumer, Michael B Titowsky, identified how the Qatari authorities have been backtracking on its guarantees.

He mentioned, “Qatar agreed to allow rainbow flags…and then didn’t allow them. Qatar agreed to allow beer sales…and then didn’t allow them. Qatar agreed to allow captains’ armbands with “One Love” emblem…after which didn’t permit them. So far, Qatar’s been a fairly crappy host for the World Cup.”

Qatar agreed to permit rainbow flags…after which didn’t permit them. Qatar agreed to permit beer gross sales…after which didn’t permit them. Qatar agreed to permit captains armbands with “One Love” emblem…after which didn’t permit them. So far, Qatar’s been a fairly crappy host for the World Cup

— Michael B. Titowsky (@MichaelTitowsky) November 21, 2022
Football followers threat being jailed, and flogged over imprecise legal guidelines within the Islamic monarchy

LGBTQ+ rights aren’t the one downside with Qatar internet hosting the World Cup, there have been issues raised over the usage of “slave labour” and poor working circumstances within the Gulf state as effectively. Thousands have reportedly died whereas engaged on the infrastructure for the World Cup resulting from poor working circumstances.

As per a report by The Sun, soccer followers are vulnerable to being charged with ‘public drunkenness’ for consuming and ‘offending’ somebody. Importantly, consuming alcohol in public can land guests in a 6-month-long jail sentence and a heavy high quality.

Besides jail time and fines, these discovered flouting the unclear legal guidelines surrounding alcohol consumption will also be flogged. Indulging in flirting, heated arguments, and hurling abuses may also put soccer followers behind bars. The identical holds true for clicking photos with out permission.

Meanwhile, demonstrators can withstand 5 years in jail and get fines of as much as £23,000 (₹22.29 lakhs) for harming the ‘public system of the state.’