JAKARTA The LGBT football fan group will boycott Qatar's 2022 World Cup later this year. The move as a principle statement because there is no response FIFA around Qatar's treatment of the LGBT community.
The World Cup in Qatar will take place from November 20 and December 18th. Less than a month before the grand event, the LGBT group continued to express concern over the host country's attitude towards their group in society.
"The objections of groups like ours are based on the lack of human rights for LGBT+ people in Qatar and the basic rights to exist," said Carl Fearn as Co-Chairman Gaygoners, an Arsenal FC support group for LGBT fans., reported by ITV.
Homosexuality is illegal in Qatar and other Muslim countries. The group will face the death penalty if they are prosecuted.
Earlier this week, veteran campaigner Peter Tatchell was arrested after holding the first LGBT protests in Qatar to highlight human rights abuses ahead of the world's biggest sporting event.
Fearn said that LGBT+ people did not choose their sexuality at all. He said LGBT+ living in Qatar had to hide their identities before, during, and after the World Cup.
"We can't speak directly to them, but we will do what we can to make the world aware and realize that sexuality is not an option and that football should be for everyone," said Fearn. Andrew Tilly, co-founder and board member of Marching Out Together, LGBT+ support group Leeds United, said he didn't know anyone in his group went to the World Cup. It's likely that no one went to Qatar at all and even watched on television.
"Most of the people I talk to may not be traveling overseas to watch England or Wales. So, it's in the category of 'even if we usually travel overseas to watch the UK/Wales, we will definitely boycott Qatar'," he said.
"I think for some people, dissatisfaction with FIFA's decision extends to choosing not to watch the World Cup on TV, as a principle statement," he added.
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