Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1484790
14 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 23 NOVEMBER 2022 WORLD NEWS THE 2022 men's World Cup host nation Qatar is known for its human rights abuses relating to women, migrant workers and those from the LGBTQ+ com- munity. Same sex relationships in Qa- tar are illegal and punishable by up to seven years in prison. As Qatar is hosting one of the most popular global sporting events, these human rights abuses are now under scrutiny on the world stage. The latest issue arose as the England and Wales captains were set to defy Fifa by wearing "OneLove" armbands during the tournament yesterday. The rainbow armbands are a ges- ture against discrimination and in support of LGBTQ+ rights. However, on the eve of the tournament, Fifa announced its own social campaign arm- bands and its president, Gianni Infantino, stated "we have clear regulations on armbands." It was said that players found to be wearing the rainbow arm- bands could face on-the-pitch sanctions, including yellow cards. That threat ultimately worked, as the teams subse- quently decided not to wear the armband, explaining in a joint statement from several football associations: "We were prepared to pay fines that would normally ap- ply to breaches of kit regula- tions and had a strong commit- ment to wearing the armband. However, we cannot put our players in the situation where they might be booked, or even forced to leave the field of play." There has been a passive ac- ceptance of discrimination from many, including Fifa and the UK government. This is reflected in comments made by UK foreign secretary James Cleverley who stated that "a lit- tle bit of flex and compromise" needs to be shown by LGBTQ+ fans attending the Qatar World Cup. Cleverly urged fans to be "respectful of the host nation." In response to the issues with Qatar, the UK Football Associ- ation states that it has received "the unequivocal answer that all fans, including those from LGBTQ+ communities, will be welcome at Qatar 2022, and that the safety and security of every fan is Qatar's top prior- ity." However, just two weeks be- fore the start of the World Cup a Qatari official stated to Ger- man media that homosexuality is "damage in the mind" and said that gay people "have to accept our rules here". These comments seemingly appear misguided on the sur- face but they conceal a much bigger issue. There should be no "flex and compromise" around human rights. Crimi- nalising LGBTQ+ people is not a cultural choice but a human rights assault and it is a univer- sally important issue. Yet the lines appear blurred for many in the case of the World Cup. Fifa's contradictory stance Qatar's stance on LGBTQ+ human rights is seemingly in conflict with Fifa values and raises serious questions as to the governing body's position in relation to this. Fifa claims that it is "committed to re- specting all internationally rec- ognised human rights and shall strive to promote the protec- tion of these rights." This policy states that dis- crimination of any kind, in- cluding against sexual orienta- tion, is "strictly prohibited and punishable by suspension or expulsion". Fifa adopted the United Na- tions Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights in 2016. The UN has repeatedly confirmed that discrimination based on a person's sexual ori- entation, gender identity and sex characteristics is contrary to international human rights law. Fifa also created a human rights and anti-discrimination department in 2020. This is un- derpinned by the requirement for the body to take measures to mitigate and prevent human rights infringements. The treatment of people from the LGBTQ+ community in Qatar appears to be in direct conflict with Fifa's purported values. Instead of condemning Qatar's human rights abuses, Fifa has asked nations compet- ing to "focus on football" and stop "handing out moral les- sons". Long-term repercussions Former Fifa president, Sepp Blatter, recently stated that giv- ing Qatar the World Cup was a mistake and was the result of political pressure. Qatar is said to invest billions into world football, which highlights the stark reality that human rights do, apparently, have a price. The long-term impact of the Qatar World Cup on LGBTQ+ issues in football, despite the verbal condemnation of the discrimination by some, may be felt for many years to come. Historically football in the UK has been notoriously discrimi- natory against those from the LGBTQ+ community. How- ever, this appears to be im- proving. Blackpool player Jake Daniel is the UK's first – and only – active male professional footballer to come out publicly as gay since Justin Fashanu in 1990. This is a huge step for- ward for LGBTQ+ people in sport. However, there is still stigma surrounding LGBTQ+ people in football. The harsh rhetoric and lack of action from vari- ous governing bodies and the government around the World Cup may compound football's homophobia and impact fur- ther footballers from coming out. It could also influence ca- reer choices of budding play- ers or those who want to work within the sector. LGBTQ+ fans are already boycotting the World Cup, stating that they feel excluded from the game. World Cup 2022: Fifa's clampdown on rainbow armbands conflicts with its own human rights guidelines