“FIFA and Qatar care because it hurts the image they want to create in public. They want the World Cup to be a merry football festival and everything is nice. But they see that in more and more countries, more and more people are speaking out loud against this World Cup,” said Boycott Qatar 2022‘s Stefan Schirmer.
Qatar is facing more than just pressure from the football community. In October, German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser — whose portfolio also covers sport — reportedly criticised Qatar’s hosting of the World Cup, in a move that prompted an official complaint to the German ambassador in Doha.
This week, however, Faeser visited Qatar and said she had received a “safety guarantee” for German LGBT visitors attending the tournament. Organisers have repeatedly said all visitors will be welcomed and treated with respect, regardless of sexuality or gender. Unmarried couples will not be banned from sharing accommodation.
