2022 World Cup in Quatar

[fredv3b]

How do you kick Homophobia out of football at the same time as hoping to compete in a World Cup hosted by a homophobic country? Just asking...

[marshlander]

That assumes it is seen as a high enough priority here at home. I'm not familiar with the world of football, but this Guardian report from 2009 didn't see much progress

...Many think all it takes to challenge homophobia on the terraces is for players to come out. Sure, a few openly gay footballers whom everyone looks up to and are opposite in every way to the stereotype, would make people think. But which player in their right mind wants to be subjected to abuse, week in, week out, with no guarantee of support from stewards, team-mates or the governing bodies?
In the 1980s, the emergence of role-model black players worked wonders for challenging racial prejudices throughout the game. But the first few brave players of the time, such as Garth Crooks, were let down miserably by managers who would tell them not to complain, as the taunts and bananas hurled by fascist groups were a "test of character". It was only when the FA took decisive action, especially through Kick It Out, that the race hate subsided.
The spotlight of hatred has simply shifted to homophobia, which is regarded as socially more acceptable than racism. With the problem serious enough now to deter even straight fans from going to matches, it's high time the FA got its act together...

Kick homophobia out of football | Adrian Tippetts | Comment is free | guardian.co.uk

[fredv3b]

It's not just an issue for England. Though you do make a good point.

[marshlander]

I realise that it's not just an issue for England. I just don't hold out much hope of being able to contribute to tackling (oops!) the issue on an international level if we can't deal with it at home.

[marshlander]

The World Cup fiasco is going to run on for a while longer it seems. Not only does the FIFA president make stupid comments about gays refraining from sex whilst in Qatar, but now Sheikh Mohammed Bin Hamad Al Thani, a member of Qatar’s Royal Family and Chairman of the Qatar 2022 Bid Committee, has been using Twitter to further politicise the mess the award has caused.



As this Gay Middle East website comment points out

It would appear that Shiekh Mohammed Bin Hamad Al Thani, who is a member of Qatar’s Royal Family none the less, does not understand why people may be slightly concerned by Qatar’s draconian laws against homosexuality. The issue is clear. Locking people up for 5 years because they are gay is a slap in the face of human rights. Allowing for gays and lesbians to be forced into hormone therapy in an attempt to cure them of their homosexuality is a slap in the face of human rights. Trying to entrap gays in Doha’s malls, streets and on gay chat rooms and websites by Qatari agents is a slap in the face of human rights.

He may be aiming to score a few points, but haven't sporting events been held in other places where glbt equality is not exactly celebrated either? For example, I know it has been a while since the last LDS sanctioned castration in Utah (something the Mormon missionaries won't tell you about when they knock on your door!), but I don't recall LDS attitudes to us being mentioned during the Utah Winter Olympics. Just asking