Doha, Qatar
CNN
—
The World Cup is well underway Qatar, but issues surrounding LGBTQ+ rights for the Gulf state, world football’s governing body FIFA, teams and fans simply won’t go away.
Two German soccer fans told CNN on Saturday that Qatar 2022 security officials asked them to remove the rainbow-colored items they were wearing as they headed to the match of the World Cup between the two countries. France and Denmark SATURDAY.
CNN witnessed the conclusion of the incident at Msheireb Metro Station, Doha, as Bengt Kunkel, who wore a rainbow-colored headband and his friend – sporting a similarly colored armband – refused to hand over the items. The rainbow is a symbol of LGBTQ+ pride.
After taking the Germans aside, a group of security officers finally released them – on the condition that they put the rainbow-colored objects in their pockets, according to Kunkel.
“Out of nowhere. They grabbed my friend by the arm quite aggressively, pushed him away from the crowd and told him to take (the armband) off,” Kunkel told CNN, recounting the details of the incident shortly after it occurred.
“Then they took me with him. They said, ‘You’re going to take it off and throw it in the trash or we’ll call the police.’
Both men refused to throw their items in the trash and said they told security they could call the police.
“We had a little chat, we were respectful and said, ‘We’re not going to throw it away but we’re going to put it in our pockets,'” added Kunkel, who traveled to the World Cup for enjoy the match. football tournament, but also to use its social media platform to talk about LGBTQ+ issues and Qatar 2022.
Kunkel and his friend were then allowed to walk down to the station platform where CNN accompanied them to the match. Kunkel’s friend said he didn’t want to talk to CNN.
Once outside Stadium 974, Kunkel put the rainbow-colored armband and wristband back on and walked through security.
CNN saw Kunkel being allowed through, although the 23-year-old German was once again sidelined.
Kunkel later told CNN he was arrested four more times before he was allowed to take his seat inside the stadium wearing the rainbow-colored items.
Earlier this week, an American journalist Grant Wahl and former Wales captain Laura McAllister both said they were asked by security staff to remove clothing with rainbow-colored designs.
Wahl said he was released 25 minutes after being arrested and received an apology from a FIFA representative and a senior member of the stadium security team.
When asked to clarify the dress code for fans, FIFA referred CNN to the tournament manual, which states that “expatriates and tourists are free to wear whatever clothing they choose, as long as it is modest and respectful of culture.
After some Welsh fans were also refused entry to stadiums on Monday for wearing rainbow-colored hats, the Football Association of Wales (FAW) said FIFA told the federation on Thursday that Rainbow-colored flags and hats would be allowed in Qatar World Cup stadiums. .
“In response to the FAW, FIFA has confirmed that fans wearing Rainbow Wall hats and rainbow flags will be allowed into the stadium for @Cymru’s match against Iran on Friday,” it said. -he tweeted.
“All World Cup venues have been contacted and instructed to follow the agreed rules and regulations.”
However, Kunkel’s experience on Saturday appears to suggest that there is a disconnect between FIFA’s rules and regulations and what is happening on the pitch at Qatar 2022.
CNN has contacted FIFA and the Qatar organizing committee. FIFA referred CNN to the Qatar organizing committee, which had not responded by the time of publication.
Kunkel, 23, a sports journalism student in Germany, was in Qatar with three friends just before the World Cup kicked off and says he has already had rainbow-colored items confiscated. sky.
Kunkel said he was removed from his seat at Al Thumana Stadium during Senegal’s match against the Netherlands on Monday and asked to remove the items.
On this occasion, security threw them in the trash and Kunkel was allowed to return to his seat.
“It’s quite a statement to throw a rainbow flag in the trash,” Kunkel added.
“I’m not part of the LGBTQ community myself, but I can understand those who don’t want to come here (to Qatar) because the community members are oppressed.”
Kunkel’s trip to Qatar made headlines in Germany and he met German Interior and Community Minister Nancy Faeser in Doha this week.
Faeser wore the “OneLove” armband, which features the outline of a heart striped in different colors, with FIFA President Gianni Infantino sitting beside him during his country’s 2-1 defeat to Japan.
Since the World Cup kicked off, FIFA has found itself at odds with seven European nations participating in Qatar 2022 over the threat of sanctions for any player wearing a jersey. “A love” armband during matches.
Kunkel says he is unhappy that FIFA allowed Qatar to host the World Cup in a country where sexual relations between men are illegal and punishable by three years in prison.
The 23-year-old claims that Faeser and the German Football Association (DFB) supported his actions and that the DFB even provided him with more rainbow items after his own were confiscated.
Before their match against Japan earlier this week, the German team posed with their right hands over their mouths to protest FIFA’s decision to ban the “OneLove” armband that many European captains hoped to wear in Qatar.
Although he supports the protest, Kunkel says more can be done.
“The German Federation talks a lot about the rights of the LGBTQ community, but as soon as they fear consequences they seem to back down and I think that’s a bit sad,” said Kunkel, who returns to Germany on Monday.
Kunkel says he is passionate about using his platform in Qatar to raise awareness, adding that while he received a mixed response online, he was repeatedly praised by other supporters who showed up to the Saturday game.
“I want to be a voice,” said Kunkel, who earlier this week posted a photo of himself on Instagram of Qatar wearing a rainbow-colored headband in front of his face, on which he had painted the German flag with a message saying: “Take a stand, be seen, be part of the change. Awesome feeling.
Qatar’s organizing committee, meanwhile, has previously promised to host an “inclusive and discrimination-free” World Cup in the face of Western criticism over its anti-LGBTQ laws – criticism that Infantino, speaking generally of the record of Qatar in terms of human rights, described them as “hypocrites”. before the tournament.
“It’s so annoying that they do this,” Kunkel told CNN. “This is not a political issue, these are basic human rights.”
