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Homosexuality is illegal in the conservative Muslim country, and
some soccer players have raised concerns for fans travelling for
the event, especially LGBT individuals and women.
Organisers of the World Cup, which starts on Nov. 20 and is the
first in a Middle Eastern nation, say everyone, no matter their
sexual orientation or background, is welcome, while also warning
against public displays of affection.
On Thursday, Australia's national team spoke out against Qatar's
record.
"Australian football stars are leading the way. They have set
the gold standard," Tatchell, who was stopped by Qatari police
on Tuesday for a one-man protest outside the national museum of
the Gulf Arab state, told the BBC.
"I hope that every other national team will follow their lead
and that all team captains will devote 30 seconds of every
post-match news conference to affirm their commitment to the
rights of LGBTs, women and migrant workers.
"That would be a fantastic, brilliant thing to do and I know it
would be so appreciated by Qatari people, who are often
privately and secretly hoping for a more democratic and human
rights respecting government."
Human Rights Watch on Monday said security forces in Qatar
arbitrarily arrested and abused LGBT Qataris as recently as last
month.
But a Qatari official said those allegations were false.
World Cup organisers did not immediately respond to a Reuters
request for comment.
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Andrew
Cawthorne)
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