World Cup organizing committee leader says he sees rainbow armband as a protest against Islamic values
The head of Qatar’s World Cup organizing committee accused groups that sought to wear the OneLove armband at the World Cup of sending a “very divisive message” to the Islamic and Arab world.
Hassan al-Tawadi’s comments came here when British Sports Minister Stuart Andrew said he would wear the rainbow armband that would fit between England and Wales on Tuesday.
The conservative leader, who is gay, said it was “really unfair” that FIFA threatened last-minute sporting sanctions against seven European groups that had planned to wear the anti-discrimination symbol in Qatar, forcing them to protest otherwise.
“I need to show my and I was very happy to see that the German minister who attended a recent adjustment used it, I think it is vital that he does,” he added.
However, Thawadi, secretary-general of the ideal committee for the delivery and legacy of the World Cup, said he had a “problem” with the armband as he saw it as a protest against Islamic values and an Islamic country as a main event.
“If the groups have made the decision to do it the season, that’s one thing,” he said, when asked if he was nervous about the armbands. “But if you come to Qatar to make a comment or a statement, it’s anything you have a challenge with. And it all boils down to the undeniable fact that it’s a component of the global that has its own set of values.
“It’s not Qatar that I’m talking about, it’s the Arab world,” he added. “Whether groups come to pontificate or make statements, that’s fine. Does this mean that no Islamic country will ever participate in anything?
“There are going to be other values and other points of view. So for me, if you come in particular to do here in Qatar, or in particular targeting Qatar and, by extension, the Islamic world, it leaves a very divisive message. “.
Same-sex relations are illegal in Qatar and while organizers and FIFA have repeated the message that “everyone is welcome” to the World Cup, it is unclear whether legislation criminalizing acts such as kissing in public has been suspended.
Fans attending the matches also had rainbow items, in addition to Wales fisherman’s shirts and hats, confiscated through officials, before FIFA later said they would be allowed in stadiums.
But Thawadi said organizers were only looking for visitors to respect the area’s culture and faith. “These values are regional,” he added. It’s for the Islamic world, it’s for the Arab world, it’s for the Middle East. There are some things we won’t agree on. But let’s locate a way to coexist and move forward, one way or another. This is where mutual respect is critical.
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In his interview with TalkSport UK, Thawadi also defended FIFA President Gianni Infantino for his pre-tournament statements in which he said he felt Qatari, Arab, African, gay and disabled, before warning Western countries that they were fit to teach ethics. to Qatar given its further and existing behavior.
“For many other people in Qatar and the Arab world, what he said largely reflected the thirteen-year frustration of being portrayed safely in the media,” Thawadi said.
“Many Arabs I spoke to admired what he said. He addressed the fact that other people felt that the outside world was coming and unequivocally judged our part of the world, about us as other people, about the Arab world and the Middle East. .