Qatar’s World Cup chief Hassan Al-Thawadi has accused the European nations behind the OneLove armband of sending a “dividing message” – and said they should understand and respect the values of the Arab world.
England and Wales were among the competing teams that planned for their captain to wear the OneLove anti-discrimination armband in Qatar, where same-sex relationships are illegal.
However, they backtracked after FIFA threatened players with sporting sanctions for wearing it, with an immediate yellow card as a potential punishment, leading to widespread disappointment.
German players covered their mouths in a team photo before their 2-1 loss to Japan in a message to world football’s governing body, while Manuel Neuer hid the FIFA armband he had been ordered to wear under his jersey.
Now, Al-Thawadi, secretary general of Qatar’s Supreme Committee for World Cup Delivery and Legacy, has accused Western nations of disrespecting Middle Eastern culture.
“It’s a FIFA decision. I wasn’t part of that discussion,” he told talkSPORT in an exclusive high-profile interview.
“Their policy is that they have their armbands representing inclusivity and a number of topics, sustainability etc.
“I wasn’t nervous about it, but for me if a team decides to do it throughout the season, that’s one thing.
“But if they come to make a point or a statement in Qatar, that’s something I have a problem with.
“It comes down to the simple fact that it’s a part of the world that has its own set of values. It’s a part of the world, not Qatar, I’m talking about the Arab world.
“For teams to come and preach or make statements is fine, but what you’re basically saying is that you’re protesting against an Islamic country that’s having an event. So where does it end?
“Does this mean that Islamic countries can never organize events? There will be different values and different points of view.
“So if you make a statement here in Qatar or specifically addressed to Qatar, and by extension to the Islamic world, or of course, I take issue with that. It leaves a very divisive message.
“We say everyone is welcome and we want people to experience that on the pitch.”
Al-Thawadi was pressed by talkSPORT host Jim White over reports of rainbow-colored items, such as bucket hats and watches, being confiscated by Qatari officials.
The World Cup chief doubled down on the host country’s view of the LGBTQ+ community and urged visiting fans to “understand” it.
He added: “From day one we said everyone was welcome. We also asked people to come and respect our culture, our religion.
“It’s not a Qatari culture or religion, these values are regional. It’s for the Islamic world, the Arab world, the Middle East.
“We want everyone from all walks of life to come here and you have people from all corners of the world engaging, getting educated and having a great time.
“But when it comes to a subject like this, it’s a complicated subject. It is something for us, or at least for this part of the world, which is a fundamental element of religious values.
“That’s what we want. We want the world to see us, to know us, to understand us.
“We might not agree on everything, we might not agree on everything. There are things we will disagree on.
“But there is more than what unites us, we have more common ground, and we have to find that common ground to find a way to say, ‘Let’s find a way to coexist and move on.’
“This is where mutual respect is key.”
Al-Thawadi insists the tournament is changing the perception of Qatar despite persistent bad press.
He added: “I think, unfortunately, a lot of people have consumed a lot of fake news, without verifying it – and they have formed opinions about it without looking at the facts or digging.
“I can’t say if we can change that, but if you talk to people here, they live unforgettable moments and it changes their perception, not only of Qatar, but of the Arab world and the Middle East.
“People here embrace and welcome people from different parts of the world and there is cultural exchange on an unprecedented level.”
He added: “Misinformation fuels a stereotype of the Middle East and Qatar. For many people, it’s easy to believe the negative about our part of the world and about us.
“A simple example: ‘There is no football culture’. You’ve been here, you’ve seen the Saudi fans, the Tunisian fans, you talk to any Qatari here and they’re just as knowledgeable and passionate as any fan in the world.
“It’s a region that loves football. It’s part of our daily lives. They follow some of the furthest leagues in the world. But people outside don’t know that we are a footballing nation.”
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