Foreign Secretary says LGBTQ fans must be ‘respectful’ at Qatar World Cup
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly accused of being “shockingly tone deaf” by telling LGBTQ+ fans to ‘compromise’ for the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly has come under fire for suggesting LGBTQ+ football fans heading to the World Cup should be “respectful” of Qatar’s anti-homosexuality laws.
Cleverly shared his thoughts on the upcoming World Cup and offered some rather controversial advice for LGBTQ+ fans’ behaviour in Qatar while appearing on LBC on Wednesday (26 October)
LGBTQ activist Peter Tatchell was arrested in Qatar after he staged an LGBTQ rights protest, homosexuality is illegal and punishable with up to three years in prison or death under Sharia law.
Authorities in Qatar deny the arrest, calling reports “completely false and without merit”.
Cleverly said he had not spoken to Qatar’s officials in regard to the situation of Tatchell’s arrest but has previously had conversations with authorities about gay football fans travelling for the World Cup.
“They want to make sure that football fans are safe, secure and enjoy themselves and they know that that means that they are going to have to make some compromises in terms of what is an Islamic country with a very different set of cultural norms to our own,” the 53-year-old politician said.
“One of the things I would say to the football fans is please do be respectful of the host nation,” he added. “They are trying to ensure that people can be themselves and enjoy the football.”
“I think with a little bit of flexibility and compromise on both ends, it can be a safe, secure and exciting World Cup.”
Interviewer Nick Ferrari shoots back that opposition leader Keir Starmer has said he won’t be in attendance, Cleverly states he believes he should go to the “important international event.”
“As leader of the opposition he’s in a lovely position to send messages,” Cleverly adds. “I’ve got real work to do.”
Lucy Powell, Labour’s shadow culture secretary, described Cleverly’s stance as “shockingly tone deaf,” the Huffington Post reports.
Additionally, Lib Dem MP Layla Moran said: “Any UK officials who attend should be using their position to highlight human rights abuses, not endorsing the regime.”
Recently, the Human Rights Watch organisation presented a report indicating concerns about the safety of LGBTQ people in Qatar are valid.
HRW says there have been “six cases of severe and repeated beatings and five cases of sexual harassment in police custody,” the most recent case being this September.
Qatar has denied any allegations.
World Cup organisers have previously stated that everyone is welcome but in the same breath warned against public displays of affection.
Earlier this year, 16 LGBTQ organisations signed an open letter warning that the measures to protect the LGBTQ community for the World Cup in Qatar aren’t adequate.
And despite early signals that people would be able to wave rainbow flags at the World Cup, in April a senior security official in Qatar flags may be confiscated “to protect them [fans] from being attacked for promoting gay rights”.
Footballer David Beckham has faced criticism for seeming to support Qatar hosting the World Cup after signing a deal to promote Qatari culture and tourism.
He’s been called on to reconsider and step back from the deal, including recent Attitude Man of the Year Josh Cavallo, who told the former England player to “speak out” and support the LGBTQ community.
The FIFA World Cup is taking place in Qatar between 20 November to 18 December 2022.