Foreign Secretary James Cleverly has received a backlash over his recent comments on LGBTQ+ concerns surrounding the Qatar World Cup.
The Tory MP said LGBTQ+ football fans who attend the football tournament, which both England and Wales have qualified for, in Qatar should show “a little bit of flex and compromise”. His advice was in relation to the country’s laws regarding homosexuality.
Homosexuality is currently illegal in Qatar and is punishable with a jail sentence of up to seven years. The country can punish Muslim men with the death penalty for engaging in same-sex activity, though there has been no record of this to date.
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The country’s laws regarding transgender people are unclear and rarely addressed. Nassar al-Khater, the chief executive of the FIFA 2022 World Cup in Qatar, answered a press conference question about transgender fans who wished to visit the country during the tournament and said all fans, of any gender, sexual orientation, religion, race would be "welcomed”.
Speaking on LBC’s Nick Ferrari at Breakfast show, Mr Cleverly said people should be “respectful of the host nation”. He told the radio station: “[Qatari authorities] want to make sure that football fans are safe, secure and enjoy themselves, and they know that that means they are going to have to make some compromises in terms of what is an Islamic country with a very different set of cultural norms to our own.
“One of the things I would say for football fans is please do be respectful of the host nation. They are trying to ensure that people can be themselves and enjoy the football, and I think with a little bit of flex and compromise at both ends, it can be a safe, secure and exciting World Cup.”
In a separate interview with Sky News, the MP for Braintree in Essex reiterated his message when asked how the government was pushing for LGBTQ+ equality in Qatar. Mr Cleverly said: "We have incredibly important partners in the Middle East. These are Muslim countries, they have a very different cultural starting point [from] us. I think it's important, when you're a visitor to a country, that you respect the culture of your host nation."
Within hours, Mr Cleverly’s comments were seemingly questioned by the Prime Minister’s official spokesman - who said LGBTQ+ fans should not be expected to “compromise who they are”- and Gary Lineker. The 61-year-old Match of The Day presenter tweeted: “Whatever you do, don’t do anything Gay. Is that the message?”
Now, Merseyside’s LGBTQ+ football fans have spoken out condemning the advice. Paul Amann, founder of Liverpool FC fan group Kop Outs, told the ECHO : “As the UK's top diplomat his language is stunningly crass and tactless. He needs to think about being respectful of fundamental human rights. He is clearly also sending a message saying ‘don't care for LGBTQ+ residents of Qatar facing jail, torture or exile for being themselves’.”
Paul visited Qatar with his husband in 2019 to experience first-hand what it was like for the LGBTQ+ community in the country. During his visit, he pushed Qatar “to rethink their regime”, but has now said they have “failed to do so”. He added: “Qatar shouldn't have been awarded the World Cup in the first place and it is imperative that future host countries have proper respect for human dignity and rights.”
Paul Hession, Everton fan group Rainbow Toffees’ events manager, added: “From an LGBTQ+ point of view, there are severe issues with staging the World Cup in Qatar. It’s hard to believe in this day and age they would even contemplate the thought - especially when a large proportion of people are criminalised just for being themselves. For the Foreign Secretary to suggest LGBTQ+ people should comprise is ludicrous. Yet I can’t say I’m shocked at the comment, to be honest, as I’ve become accustomed to this inadequate government we have.”
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