A WO CONTR
Doubts still lingering over Qatar
MUCH has changed in the decade since Qatar shocked football by winning the vote to stage the 2022 World Cup.
FIFA imploded, for starters, amid corruption charges.
Sepp Blatter was removed at the top as the game’s governing body attempted to resurrect itself under ex-UEFA supremo Gianni Infantino.
Meanwhile, the business of football continued to boom beyond all recognition.
These days Russian, American and Chinese billionaire club owners have been joined by Middle East state-backed franchises, such as UAE (Man City,) Saudi Arabia (Newcastle) and, of course, Qatar (Paris Saint-German).
And, most recently, there has even been the overhaul of Qatar’s heavily criticised immigrant employment laws.
Under pressure from Amnesty International, the reforms were finally signed off in March this year – tragically, way too late to save thousands who died during the construction of the tournament’s eight stadiums.
Previously, foreign workers in Qatar required employers’ permission to switch jobs, leave the country or set up bank accounts.
Yet, if there has been improvement on that front, nothing has changed regarding it being illegal to be gay in the Arab country.
The usual punishment is a year in prison, although the offence actually carries a never-used death penalty.
Australian striker Josh Cavallo, the world’s only openly-gay top-tier footballer, admits he would be ‘scared’ of playing in next year’s World Cup finals.
No wonder, insists Amal Fashanu (above), niece of the late Norwich striker Justin Fashanu, who tragically took his own life after revealing he was gay while still playing in 1990 and last year was inducted into football’s Hall of Fame.
A leading voice on the gay football movement, Amal recently launched the Justin Fashanu Foundation with the aim to help players ready to come out or struggling with the secrecy of being gay.
She said: “I can’t blame Josh. Anyone in the LGBT+ community would be worried.
“A death penalty makes it very hard.
“As a gay person, just where do you stand and how do know what to do in a country saying that?
“It’s bewildering to the point of concern. We just don’t know what provisions will be in place for these things – and what will happen to players and fans in Qatar.”
To stage a World Cup in Qatar contradicts the game’s ever-increasing recognition of the LGBT community.
Later this month, the Premier League dedicates two weekends to highlighting the Rainbow campaign.
Fashanu, however, reckons a similar protest in Qatar is fanciful given Cavallo stands alone as a gay player in the men’s game.
“We know there will be gay players in Qatar,” she added.
“Their stress levels will be through the roof.”
The controversy over the 2022 World Cup raged when it was announced.
It seems some things never change.