Status: 11/08/2022 3:27 p.m
The homophobic statements made by Qatar’s World Cup ambassador, Salman, have met with sharp criticism in Germany. The lesbian and gay association called for a travel warning. Salman had described being gay as “mental damage”.
According to the national board of the Lesbian and Gay Association (LSVD), the derogatory statements made by a Qatari World Cup ambassador about homosexuals are “disturbing and yet not a surprise”. In an interview for a ZDF documentary, former Qatar national soccer player Khalid Salman described being gay as “mental damage”.
Alfonso Pantisano of the LSVD federal board said Salman’s statement revealed the regime’s continued homophobic attitude in Qatar. “When the FIFA World Cup Organizing Committee seems to want to welcome queer fans and then a World Cup ambassador makes such a disturbing remark, it proves the regime’s threat to queer people.”
The lesbian and gay association expects the federal government to take this statement seriously, said Pantisano. The government is asked to consistently cancel all diplomatic trips during and to the World Cup in Qatar. The Federal Foreign Office should also issue an explicit travel warning “for all lesbians, gays, bisexuals, trans*, intersex and queer people (LSBTIQ*)”. The association also called on fans to boycott the World Cup.
Salman sees being gay as a sin
Qatar’s ex-national player Salman said in an interview for the ZDF documentary “Geheimsache Qatar”, which will be broadcast on Tuesday evening, that he had problems with children seeing gay men. Because they would then learn something that is not good. In his eyes, being gay is “haram, a sin,” said Salman. “It’s mental damage.” The interview was immediately terminated by the spokesman for the World Cup Organizing Committee.
Qatar is considered one of the most controversial hosts in World Cup history. Among other things, the emirate is accused of violating human rights, for example in dealing with foreign workers, and a lack of women’s rights. In addition, homosexuality is a criminal offense in Qatar. In the run-up to the World Cup, which begins on November 20th, the desert state is trying to convey a different picture. Officially, fans from the LGBTQ scene are also welcome.
Doha enraged by German criticism
Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani described the criticism of Qatar, especially from Europe, as “very arrogant and very racist” in the “Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung” on Monday. He accused the federal government of “double standards”.
The displeasure in Doha was sparked by statements by Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser. The SPD politician had demanded, among other things, security guarantees for the LGBTQ community from the World Cup host.
“With all due respect, these were not necessary at all,” Al-Thani said of Faeser’s statements. “We have repeatedly repeated from the highest level that everyone is welcome and that nobody is discriminated against.” It is “unfortunate when politicians try to distinguish themselves internally at our expense and score points”.
FIFA wants focus on football
The world football association FIFA recently wrote a letter to the 32 participants in the World Cup and advocated that football and not political debates should be the focus of the tournament. “Please do not allow football to be drawn into every ideological or political struggle there is,” the letter said.
The German Football Association (DFB) then released a statement, which had previously been coordinated with nine other European associations. It said: “We will continue to support momentum for positive, progressive change and remain committed to a compelling outcome on the two crucial and open issues that we have been discussing with FIFA for a long time.”