Complaints related to the World Cup in Qatar have been raised since the awarding of the games, i.e. since 2010. As the Games approach, the pace has accelerated.
One of the issues that attracted the most attention is related to the status of sexual and gender minorities in Qatar. In the conservative Arab country, the Islamic Sharia law is applied in certain cases, which includes alcohol consumption, adultery and homosexuality as crimes.
General secretary of Seta ry Gerttu Tarjamo describes the position of sexual minorities in Qatar as very difficult.
– In practice, people’s rights are violated all the time. Talking about rainbow themes or presenting them is almost impossible, says Tarjamo.
The race organizers have assured that all race guests are welcome regardless of sexual orientation, citizenship, religion or gender.
The Guardian approached the competition organizers in June (you will switch to another service) with questions related to the safety of sexual and gender minorities. However, the answers received by the media were mixed. In the May test of SVT, NRK and DR, it was found that part One of the hotels recommended by the international football association Fifa did not agree to accommodate homosexuals. (you switch to another service)
Ambassador of the World Cup Khalid Salman called in the published in early November, the German In an interview with ZDF, homosexuality as damage to the brain. (you switch to another service)
The Guardian reported on Tuesday that homosexuals are spared from physical torture, if they inform other representatives of sexual and gender minorities. (you switch to another service)
– These stories show that Qatar, as a country and as a competition organizer, has no effort to strengthen the rights of rainbow people, intervene in discrimination or dismantle discriminatory laws, Tarjamo points out.
Last month, the human rights organization Human Rights Watch reported that Qatari authorities had arbitrarily detained people belonging to sexual and gender minorities.
– People have been arrested only because of, for example, how they express their gender. There have been reports of physical violence and sexual harassment against those arrested. The system accepts it. The situation is quite inconsolable in that respect, says Tarjamo.
No change in sight
President of the Norwegian Football Association Lise Klaveness has called for the repeal of the law criminalizing homosexuality. In a March speech at the Fifa congress in Qatar, Klaveness pointed out that no the safety of sexual and gender minorities following the games is not guaranteed. (you switch to another service)
According to Tarjamo, the organizations have discussed with both Fifa and the competition organization and presented a list of actions that should have been taken. The organizations have also demanded the repeal of the laws and the guarantee of the safety of sexual minorities coming to the games.
– The vast majority of these have not progressed. No positive development is actually visible. Of course, there has been some effort from the Qatari side to assure that the foreigners participating in the games, who are rainbow people, will not be subject to any criminalization or any kind of harassment, that they can participate freely.
Can Finnish representatives of sexual and gender minorities traveling to Qatar be worried?
– It has been reported from Qatar that this would be the case. Human rights organizations are able to report cases from recent years where Qatar has also imposed restrictions on foreigners.
According to Tarjamo, the biggest mistake has already happened when the Games have been awarded to a country with a poor human rights situation.
– The least that can be done at this point is to talk about the human rights of rainbow people and highlight them.
Many teams planned to play in rainbow ribbons – Fifa threatened with a warning, the unions canceled their plans
Many countries approached the international football association Fifa (you will switch to another service) months before the World Cup and asked permission if the captains could carry a rainbow ribbon on their hands. The countries have wanted to show their support for the rights of gender and sexual minorities.
Fifa did not answer the countries’ question, but published a campaign on Saturday, the day before the opening match of the World Cup, asking the captains to wear a different captain’s armband every day. The captain’s armbands have different messages, such as “soccer unites the world”.
For example, the football associations of England and Wales announced on Saturday that they are not going to give up their rainbow ribbons.
Fifa, on the other hand, threatened countries that use rainbow ribbons with fines.
Also captain of Holland Virgil van Dijk announced that he will wear the rainbow armband for Monday’s match against Senegal.
However, the possible warning worried the Dutch defender.
– If I get a yellow card for holding it, we have to think about it, because I don’t like playing with a yellow card, van Djik said in the press conference before the match.
On Monday afternoon, just hours before Monday’s matches, the football associations of England, Wales, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Holland and Switzerland released a joint statement saying they had asked their national team captains not to wear rainbow armbands.
– We were ready to pay the fines that are normally given for breaking equipment rules. However, we cannot put our players in a situation where they can be given a yellow card for this or even forced to leave the field, the federations write.
The unions said they were very dissatisfied with Fifa’s decision.
– We wrote to Fifa in September and told them about our wish to use a rainbow ribbon. We didn’t get a response. Players and coaches are disappointed. They support inclusion and now plan to show their support in other ways.
Story updated 12.06: Added information about the union’s joint exit and the call to captains to leave out the rainbow ribbons due to Fifa’s threats.