Foreign Secretary James Cleverly was sharply criticized for essentially suggesting that gay soccer fans hide their identities while attending the 2022 World Cup.
Cleverly, speaking on LBC, said he had not spoken with the Qatari government regarding Tatchell, and that the activist’s situation was addressed by the British consular team there. Tatchell said that he was “interrogated,” adding, “it’s a shame the Qatari government is trying to deflect attention from their diabolical human rights abuses by misrepresenting a peaceful protestor.
Aside from concerns over LGBT rights in Qatar, the Gulf country’s treatment of underprivileged groups such as migrant workerssince it was awarded the rights to host the tournament. Qatari leaders have bristled at some of the criticism. In May, the country’s emir, Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, claimed that the attacks were by “people who cannot accept the idea that an Arab Muslim country would host a tournament like the World Cup.
The tournament is the latest global sporting event to draw criticism over its host country’s human rights record. When China hosted the Winter Olympics this year, the White House instituted a diplomatic boycott in protest of the country’s human rights abuses, including its