Confn, exasperatn and datg apps – my month as a gay reporter at the Qatar World Cup - The Athletic

Contents:

• QATAR'S FIRST OPENLY GAY MAN HAS A MSAGE FOR FOOTBALL FANS AHEAD OF THE FIFA WORLD CUPNAS MOHAMED LEFT QATAR TO PE PERSECUTN BASED ON HIS SEXUALY. NOW, HE'S SPEAKG OUT.PUBLISHED 1 NOVEMBER 2022 5:50AMBY CAMERON WATTSSOURCE: SBS NEWSIMAGE: NAS MOHAMED ME OUT AS THE FIRST PUBLICLY GAY QATARI. SOURCE: INSTAGRAM VIA @NRKNYHETER (INSTAGRAM @NRKNYHETER)KEY POTSDUBBED THE “FIRST OPENLY GAY QATARI”, NAS MOHAMED SOUGHT ASYLUM THE US TO PE OPPRSIVE ANTI-GAY LAWS. HE'S G HIS PLATFORM TO ADVOTE FOR LGBTIQ+ RIGHTS AHEAD OF THE 2022 FIFA WORLD CUP DOHA.NAS SAYS LGBTIQ+ WORLD CUP ATTEN MAY BE AT RISK, SPE ASSURANC OM FIFA AND QATAR’S ERNMENT.BORN TO A TRADNAL ARABIC-SPEAKG HOEHOLD QATAR, NAS MOHAMED FELT HE WAS STED TO BE SET UP AN ARRANGED MARRIAGE TO A WOMAN.DURG HIS ADOLCENCE, NAS REALISED THAT WAS NOT A LIFE HE WOULD BE PABLE OF LIVG, BUT WH NO ACCS TO "ANY LGBT VISIBILY" QATAR UPLED WH THE THREAT OF PERSECUTN, HE FELT FORCED TO KEEP HIS SEXUALY HIDN. EARLIER THIS YEAR, NAS MA TERNATNAL HEADL AS "THE FIRST OPENLY GAY QATARI", AND HE'S G HIS PLATFORM TO ADVOTE FOR LGBTIQ+ RIGHTS AHEAD OF THE 2022 FIFA WORLD CUP DOHA. SAME-SEX SEXUAL ACTIVY IS A CRIMAL OFFENCE QATAR AND IS PUNISHABLE WH A JAIL SENTENCE OF UP TO SEVEN YEARS. PUNISHMENTS ARE UALLY HARSHER FOR LOL QATARIS THAN FOR FOREIGN WORKERS AND VISORS.ACRDG TO LGBT RIGHTS ADVOCY ANISATN HUMAN DIGNY TST, QATAR ALSO OPERAT AN TERPRETATN OF SHARIA LAW " WHICH IS TECHNILLY POSSIBLE FOR MEN WHO ENGAGE SAME-SEX TIMACY TO BE SENTENCED TO ATH". "THERE IS SOME LIMED EVINCE OF THE LAW BEG ENFORCED RECENT YEARS, HOWEVER REPORTS ARE RARE," HUMAN DIGNY TST SAYS. READ MORE'WE, THE LGBTI MUNY, ARE SUFFERG': IRAN SENTENC TWO WOMEN TO ATH FOR PROMOTG HOMOSEXUALYNAS CID 11 YEARS AGO, AT AGE 24, TO TRAVEL TO THE UNED STAT AND STUDY A POST-GRADUATE MEDIL GREE.HE LEFT QATAR KNOWG HE WOULD NOT BE RETURNG TO HIS HOMELAND.UNSURE HOW HE WAS GOG TO STAY THE US, NAS APPLIED FOR POLIL ASYLUM ON THE GROUNDS HE WOULD FACE PERSECUTN BACK HOME QATAR. IN 2017, THE US ERNMENT ACCEPTED HIS CLAIMS AND GRANTED ASYLUM.I LEFT WH THE TENTN OF NOT GOG BACK.NAS MOHAMEDEARLIER THIS YEAR HE CID TO PUBLICLY E OUT AS GAY, LEADG TO MEDIA OUTLETS DUBBG HIM “THE FIRST OPENLY GAY QATARI”, ALTHOUGH AT THE TIME HE DIDN’T REALISE THAT HE WAS THE FIRST.NAS SAID THE 2022 FIFA WORLD CUP BEG HOSTED QATAR WAS THE TALYST FOR PUBLICLY G OUT, AS WAS “STRIKG NOBODY WAS SPEAKG OUT” ABOUT LGBTIQ+ RIGHTS HIS HOMELAND."I WAS TRYG TO GET ATTENTN WHOUT G OUT,” HE SAID, BUT HE FOUND LTLE TRACTN.NAS MOHAMED FELT PELLED TO E OUT PUBLICLY AHEAD OF THE WORLD CUP QATAR. CRED: INSTAGRAM @DR._NASSNAS EXPLAED THAT WHILE HE KNOWS PLENTY OF LGBTIQ+ PEOPLE QATAR, HE WAS SURPRISED TO FD OUT HE WAS THE FIRST QATARI TO E OUT AS GAY. THE NATN'S HARDLE STANCE ON SAME-SEX RELATNS NTRIBUT TO THE SECRECY.WHEN NAS WAS STILL LIVG QATAR, HE SAID UNRVER BTS AND TFISHG BY POLICE WERE KNOWN PRACTIC TO TCH AND PUNISH MEMBERS OF THE LGBTIQ+ MUNY.READ MOREHUMAN RIGHTS CHAMPN CRAIG FOSTER ON WHY HE'S STILL TAKG PART THE QATAR WORLD CUPNAS' MSAGE FOR LGBTIQ+ PEOPLE ATTENDG THE WORLD CUPNAS WARNED LGBTIQ+ PEOPLE VISG DOHA FOR THE WORLD CUP TO “BE REFUL”.WHILE PRI FLAGS WILL BE OFFICIALLY PERMTED STADIUMS, THEY MIGHT NOT BE WILY WELED, NAS SAID. "I DON'T THK PUBLIC DISPLAY OF RABOW FLAGS OR RALLI WOULD BE PRODUCTIVE," HE SAID.ALTHOUGH VISORS TO THE NATN ARE GENERALLY LS LIKELY TO BE PERSECUTED FOR SAME-SEX SEXUAL ACTIVY, NAS WARNED THAT FANS WHO “DON’T PASS” AS HETEROSEXUAL MAY BE SGLED OUT BY LOLS.NAS EXPLAED THAT SOME QATARIS SEE LGBTIQ+ VISIBILY AS “AN TENTNAL ASSLT ON THEM”.NAS MOHAMED NOW LIV SAN FRANCIS THE UNED STAT AS AN OPENLY GAY MAN. CRED: INSTAGRAM @DR._NASSFIFA AND QATARI OFFICIALS HAVE ASSURED VISORS TO THE NATN THAT THEY WILL BE EE OM DISCRIMATN, BUT GUTS ARE EXPECTED TO ADHERE TO THE CULTURAL NORMS OF QATAR.SHOULD FIFA AND WORLD CUP PLAYERS BE CHAMPNG LGBTIQ+ RIGHTS QATAR?NAS BELIEV THAT TEAMS, PLAYERS AND FIFA SHOULD BE ADVOTG LOUST FOR LGBTIQ+ RIGHTS DURG THE WORLD CUP QATAR. “THEY’RE NOT GOG TO BE HARMED,” HE SAID, TELLG ATTEN THEY SHOULD FOC ON THEIR OWN SAFETY FIRST.“BIG AND UNAPOLOGETIC VISIBILY IS THE RPONSIBILY OF THE TEAMS, PLAYERS AND FIFA.”IN OCTOBER, ATRALIA'S SOCCEROOS EXPRSED CRICISM OF THE QATARI ERNMENT’S STANCE ON LGBTIQ+ RIGHTS AS WELL AS NDNS FACED BY MIGRANT WORKERS A JOT STATEMENT.IN A VIO SHARED ON SOCIAL MEDIA, 16 SOCCEROOS PLAYERS LLED ON QATAR TO CRIMALISE SAME-SEX RELATNSHIPS."AS PLAYERS, WE FULLY SUPPORT THE RIGHTS OF THE LGBTI+ PEOPLE, BUT QATAR PEOPLE ARE NOT EE TO LOVE THE PERSON THEY CHOOSE. ADDRSG THE ISSU IS NOT EASY AND WE DON'T HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS," THEY SAID. "THIS MT CLU TABLISHG A MIGRANTS' ROURCE CENTRE, EFFECTIVE REMEDY FOR THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN NIED THEIR RIGHTS AND THE CRIMALISATN OF ALL SAME-SEX RELATNSHIPS."THE ARE BASIC RIGHTS THAT SHOULD BE AFFORD TO ALL AND WILL ENSURE NTUED PROGRS QATAR. THIS IS HOW WE N ENSURE A LEGACY THAT GO WELL BEYOND THE FAL WHISTLE OF THE 2022 FIFA WORLD CUP."READ MOREWHAT IS THE HUMAN ST OF THE WORLD CUP QATAR?THE SUPREME COMMTEE FOR DELIVERY AND LEGACY FOR THE QATAR WORLD CUP ACKNOWLEDGED THE SOCCEROOS' STATEMENT, SAYG MEND FOOTBALLERS "G THEIR PLATFORMS TO RAISE AWARENS FOR IMPORTANT MATTERS" AND ADDG THAT "NO UNTRY IS PERFECT".SEVERAL EUROPEAN TEAM PTAS HAVE ALSO ANNOUNCED THEIR TENTN TO WEAR RABOW PTA ARMBANDS THAT FEATURE THE WORDS “ONE LOVE” DURG THE WORLD CUP SUPPORT OF LGBTIQ+ RIGHTS.CAPTA OF THE GERMAN FOOTBALL TEAM JONAS HOFMANN SHOWS THE SPECIAL PTA'S ARMBAND AS A SIGN AGAST DISCRIMATN AND FOR DIVERSY. PHOTO: SEBASTIAN GOLLNOW/DPA SOURCE: DPA / SEBASTIAN GOLLNOWIN JUNE, NAS LNCHED A PETN ASKG FIFA TO E S FLUENCE TO STAND UP FOR LGBTIQ+ RIGHTS QATAR.IN AN OPEN LETTER TO FIFA PRINT GIANNI INFANTO, NAS WROTE THAT WHILE FIFA CELEBRAT QATAR AS A NATN SHOULD ALSO CELEBRATE LGBTIQ+ QATARIS WHO CURRENTLY "FEAR FOR THEIR SAFETY AND EEDOM”.“HUMAN RIGHTS VALU DON'T BELONG TO ONE NTENT, THEY'RE UNIVERSAL,” HE SAID.THE PETN IS NEARG S 80,000 SIGNATURE GOAL WH MORE THAN 70,000 PEOPLE HAVG ALREADY SIGNED SUPPORT.“LOVE IS NOT A CRIME, NOT JT THIS YEAR, BUT ALWAYS”, NAS SAID, URGG ANISATNS CLUDG FIFA TO NTUE TO ADVOTE FOR LGBTIQ+ RIGHTS QATAR AFTER THE WORLD CUP MOV ON.READ MOREDENMARK TO WEAR 'TONED DOWN' WORLD CUP K PROTT AGAST QATAR'S HUMAN RIGHTS RERDWHY AN ATRALIAN ACTIVIST STAGED A PROTT QATARHUMAN RIGHTS WATCH (HRW) RELEASED A REPORT OCTOBER OUTLG THE TREATMENT OF LGBTIQ+ PEOPLE QATAR, WH NAS NTRIBUTG TO THE FDGS BY NNECTG THE ANISATN TO PEOPLE QATAR.THE REPORT NTAS THE ACUNTS OF SIX LGBTIQ+ PEOPLE WHO SAY THEY WERE ARRTED, ATTACKED, AND KEPT SOLARY NFEMENT BEE OF THEIR SEXUALY OR GENR.NAS SE EVINCE-BASED REPORTG AS SENTIAL FOR BRGG AWARENS TO THE NDNS FACED BY LGBTIQ+ PEOPLE QATAR, SAYG THAT SIAR REPORTG WAS NOT AVAILABLE WHEN HE SOUGHT ASYLUM THE US.“WHEN I WAS FENDG MY ASYLUM SE, NOT HAVG EVINCE-BASED UNTRY NDNS FOR LGBT PEOPLE WAS AN OBSTACLE FOR ME, BEE THEY QUTNED WHETHER MY CLAIMS OF PROSECUTNS WERE REAL OR NOT,” HE SAID.THE REPORTG BY HRW PROMPTED ATRALIAN ACTIVIST PETER TATCHELL TO STAGE A PROTT THE STREETS OF DOHA LAST MONTH, DURG WHICH HE HELD A SIGN THAT READ “QATAR ARRTS, JAILS & SUBJECTS LGBTS TO 'NVERSN'”. IN JUNE, MR INFANTO EXPRSED NFINCE QATAR'S PROMIS OF AN CLIVE WORLD CUP. “WE'VE RECEIVED THE NECSARY GUARANTE, WE ARE TRAG ALL THE OFFICIALS, WE ARE WORKG HAND HAND WH THE ERNMENT, WH THE POLICE THORI, EVERYONE WILL BE WELE,” THE FIFA BOSS SAID.IN OCTOBER, HE HIGHLIGHTED FIFA'S ROLE PROMOTG HUMAN RIGHTS AND EQUALY – SCRIBG THE WORLD CUP AS “A TOURNAMENT OF PEACE AND UNY”. FIFA QATAR 2022 CHIEF OPERATG OFFICER COL SMH SAID THE WORLD FOOTBALL ERNG BODY SAW "THE POWER AND STRENGTH OF THE WORLD CUP AS A TALYST FOR CHANGE THE REGN". FIFA PRINT GIANNI INFANTO (CENTRE) WH RSIAN PRINT VLADIMIR PUT, AND THE EMIR OF QATAR SHEIKH TAMIM B HAMAD AL-THANI DURG 2018 FIFA WORLD CUP MOSW. CRED: ALEXEI NIKOLSKY/APWHEN ASKED ABOUT THE RIGHTS OF VISORS OM THE LGBTIQ+ MUNY EARLIER THIS YEAR, EMIR OF QATAR SHEIKH TAMIM B HAMAD AL-THANI SAID: “WE WELE EVERYBODY, BUT WE ALSO EXPECT AND WANT PEOPLE TO RPECT OUR CULTURE”.THE ANISG MTEE FOR THE QATAR WORLD CUP SPOKE WH SBS NEWS EARLIER THE YEAR AND SAID THAT LGBTIQ+ FANS WOULD NOT FACE ANY DISCRIMATN DURG THE TOURNAMENT.BUT NAS IS NCERNED THE PUBLIC RELATNS BY FIFA AND THE QATARI ERNMENT MIMISE THE "REAL LIFE NSEQUENC" FACED BY LGBTIQ+ PEOPLE QATAR. READ MOREWE ASKED IF GAY FANS WILL BE SAFE AT THE FIFA WORLD CUP QATAR. THIS IS WHAT THE HOSTS SAIDDPE THIS, HE HOP THAT CREASED VISIBILY BROUGHT BY THE WORLD CUP ULD BE A STEP TOWARDS OVERG THE OPPRSN OF LGBTIQ+ QATARIS.“BY THE END OF THE YEAR, WE WILL BE VISIBLE. I THK THAT'S A REALLY POSIVE CHANGE,” HE SAID.SBS NEWS PUT NAS' NCERNS ABOUT LGBTIQ+ RIGHTS TO FIFA AND THE QATARI ERNMENT. FIFA RPOND WH A STATEMENT OUTLG S POLICY TO UPHOLD HUMAN RIGHTS TERNATNALLY, SAYG THAT “FIFA’S POSN ON CLIVY AND THE PROTECTN OF HUMAN RIGHTS IS UNEQUIVOL”.FIFA LNCH S LGBTQIA0 WORK WH THE RAISG OF THE PRI FLAG AT S ZURICH HEADQUARTERS. CRED: FIFA“FIFA IS NFINT THAT ALL NECSARY MEASUR WILL BE PLACE FOR LGBTIQ+ FANS AND ALLI TO ENJOY THE TOURNAMENT A WELG AND SAFE ENVIRONMENT, JT AS FOR EVERYONE ELSE.” THE STATEMENT SAID.IN A STATEMENT TO SBS NEWS, A QATARI OFFICIAL SAID THAT "EVERYONE IS WELE QATAR", ADDG THAT "A SENSIVE APPROACH TO SECURY WILL BE ADOPTED" DURG THE WORLD CUP TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF ALL FANS.THE OFFICIAL ADD THAT VISORS SHOULD "RPECT LOL VALU AND CULTURE".SHARETAGSSPORTLIFEFIFA WORLD CUP 2022FIFA WORLD CUPREMEND FOR YOU
• THIS MAN FLED QATAR FEAR OF PERSECUTN BEE HE'S GAY. NOW HE'S PHG BACK
• QATAR'S FIRST OPENLY GAY MAN SPEAKS UP ABOUT WORLD CUP NTROVERSY
• BRAVE DOCTOR BE ‘FIRST’ QATARI TO PUBLICLY E OUT AS GAY
• GAY MAN 'HUNTED' BY QATAR POLICE AND GANG-RAPED HOTEL ROOM AHEAD OF WORLD CUP
• QATARI DOCTOR BE FIRST MAN THE UNTRY TO E OUT AS GAY
• 35-YEAR-OLD DOCTOR BE FIRST QATARI TO PUBLICLY COME OUT AS GAY: REPORT
• FIRST OPENLY GAY QATARI SEEKS ASYLUM IN THE US
• OPN: DR. NASSER ‘NAS’ MOHAMED SOUGHT ASYLUM THE US AFTER G OUT AS GAY. HERE’S WHAT HE WANTS PEOPLE TO KNOW ABOUT QATAR
• BBC NEWS BRASIL – INTERNATNAL ‘I THOUGHT THEY WERE GOG TO KILL ME’: THE STORY OF THE FIRST GAY MAN TO APPEAR QATAR 23/06/2022 08:37
• GAY MAN OM QATAR SOUNDS ALARM ABOUT VERAGE OF THE WORLD CUP AND LGBT OPPRSN
• ‘I DO NOT WISH TO BE ANONYMO’: DOCTOR BE ‘FIRST’ QATARI TO PUBLICLY E OUT AS GAY
• GAY QATARI MAN WON’T LET WORLD CUP ‘BURY’ LGBTQ+ ATROCI ‘ THE SHADOWS’
• CONFN, EXASPERATN AND DATG APPS – MY MONTH AS A GAY REPORTER AT THE QATAR WORLD CUP
• GAY PEOPLE LIVG UNR RADAR QATAR PREPARE WARILY FOR WORLD CUP
• JAGS' MAXEN IS FIRST MALE AMERIN PRO SPORTS ACH TO E OUT AS GAY
• KEV MAXEN BE FIRST MALE ACH A US MEN’S PROFSNAL SPORTS LEAGUE TO PUBLICLY E OUT AS GAY
• JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS' KEV MAXEN BE FIRST MALE COACH TO COME OUT AS GAY MAJOR U.S. SPORTS

QATAR'S FIRST OPENLY GAY MAN HAS A MSAGE FOR FOOTBALL FANS AHEAD OF THE FIFA WORLD CUPNAS MOHAMED LEFT QATAR TO PE PERSECUTN BASED ON HIS SEXUALY. NOW, HE'S SPEAKG OUT.PUBLISHED 1 NOVEMBER 2022 5:50AMBY CAMERON WATTSSOURCE: SBS NEWSIMAGE: NAS MOHAMED ME OUT AS THE FIRST PUBLICLY GAY QATARI. SOURCE: INSTAGRAM VIA @NRKNYHETER (INSTAGRAM @NRKNYHETER)KEY POTSDUBBED THE “FIRST OPENLY GAY QATARI”, NAS MOHAMED SOUGHT ASYLUM THE US TO PE OPPRSIVE ANTI-GAY LAWS. HE'S G HIS PLATFORM TO ADVOTE FOR LGBTIQ+ RIGHTS AHEAD OF THE 2022 FIFA WORLD CUP DOHA.NAS SAYS LGBTIQ+ WORLD CUP ATTEN MAY BE AT RISK, SPE ASSURANC OM FIFA AND QATAR’S ERNMENT.BORN TO A TRADNAL ARABIC-SPEAKG HOEHOLD QATAR, NAS MOHAMED FELT HE WAS STED TO BE SET UP AN ARRANGED MARRIAGE TO A WOMAN.DURG HIS ADOLCENCE, NAS REALISED THAT WAS NOT A LIFE HE WOULD BE PABLE OF LIVG, BUT WH NO ACCS TO "ANY LGBT VISIBILY" QATAR UPLED WH THE THREAT OF PERSECUTN, HE FELT FORCED TO KEEP HIS SEXUALY HIDN. EARLIER THIS YEAR, NAS MA TERNATNAL HEADL AS "THE FIRST OPENLY GAY QATARI", AND HE'S G HIS PLATFORM TO ADVOTE FOR LGBTIQ+ RIGHTS AHEAD OF THE 2022 FIFA WORLD CUP DOHA. SAME-SEX SEXUAL ACTIVY IS A CRIMAL OFFENCE QATAR AND IS PUNISHABLE WH A JAIL SENTENCE OF UP TO SEVEN YEARS. PUNISHMENTS ARE UALLY HARSHER FOR LOL QATARIS THAN FOR FOREIGN WORKERS AND VISORS.ACRDG TO LGBT RIGHTS ADVOCY ANISATN HUMAN DIGNY TST, QATAR ALSO OPERAT AN TERPRETATN OF SHARIA LAW " WHICH IS TECHNILLY POSSIBLE FOR MEN WHO ENGAGE SAME-SEX TIMACY TO BE SENTENCED TO ATH". "THERE IS SOME LIMED EVINCE OF THE LAW BEG ENFORCED RECENT YEARS, HOWEVER REPORTS ARE RARE," HUMAN DIGNY TST SAYS. READ MORE'WE, THE LGBTI MUNY, ARE SUFFERG': IRAN SENTENC TWO WOMEN TO ATH FOR PROMOTG HOMOSEXUALYNAS CID 11 YEARS AGO, AT AGE 24, TO TRAVEL TO THE UNED STAT AND STUDY A POST-GRADUATE MEDIL GREE.HE LEFT QATAR KNOWG HE WOULD NOT BE RETURNG TO HIS HOMELAND.UNSURE HOW HE WAS GOG TO STAY THE US, NAS APPLIED FOR POLIL ASYLUM ON THE GROUNDS HE WOULD FACE PERSECUTN BACK HOME QATAR. IN 2017, THE US ERNMENT ACCEPTED HIS CLAIMS AND GRANTED ASYLUM.I LEFT WH THE TENTN OF NOT GOG BACK.NAS MOHAMEDEARLIER THIS YEAR HE CID TO PUBLICLY E OUT AS GAY, LEADG TO MEDIA OUTLETS DUBBG HIM “THE FIRST OPENLY GAY QATARI”, ALTHOUGH AT THE TIME HE DIDN’T REALISE THAT HE WAS THE FIRST.NAS SAID THE 2022 FIFA WORLD CUP BEG HOSTED QATAR WAS THE TALYST FOR PUBLICLY G OUT, AS WAS “STRIKG NOBODY WAS SPEAKG OUT” ABOUT LGBTIQ+ RIGHTS HIS HOMELAND."I WAS TRYG TO GET ATTENTN WHOUT G OUT,” HE SAID, BUT HE FOUND LTLE TRACTN.NAS MOHAMED FELT PELLED TO E OUT PUBLICLY AHEAD OF THE WORLD CUP QATAR. CRED: INSTAGRAM @DR._NASSNAS EXPLAED THAT WHILE HE KNOWS PLENTY OF LGBTIQ+ PEOPLE QATAR, HE WAS SURPRISED TO FD OUT HE WAS THE FIRST QATARI TO E OUT AS GAY. THE NATN'S HARDLE STANCE ON SAME-SEX RELATNS NTRIBUT TO THE SECRECY.WHEN NAS WAS STILL LIVG QATAR, HE SAID UNRVER BTS AND TFISHG BY POLICE WERE KNOWN PRACTIC TO TCH AND PUNISH MEMBERS OF THE LGBTIQ+ MUNY.READ MOREHUMAN RIGHTS CHAMPN CRAIG FOSTER ON WHY HE'S STILL TAKG PART THE QATAR WORLD CUPNAS' MSAGE FOR LGBTIQ+ PEOPLE ATTENDG THE WORLD CUPNAS WARNED LGBTIQ+ PEOPLE VISG DOHA FOR THE WORLD CUP TO “BE REFUL”.WHILE PRI FLAGS WILL BE OFFICIALLY PERMTED STADIUMS, THEY MIGHT NOT BE WILY WELED, NAS SAID. "I DON'T THK PUBLIC DISPLAY OF RABOW FLAGS OR RALLI WOULD BE PRODUCTIVE," HE SAID.ALTHOUGH VISORS TO THE NATN ARE GENERALLY LS LIKELY TO BE PERSECUTED FOR SAME-SEX SEXUAL ACTIVY, NAS WARNED THAT FANS WHO “DON’T PASS” AS HETEROSEXUAL MAY BE SGLED OUT BY LOLS.NAS EXPLAED THAT SOME QATARIS SEE LGBTIQ+ VISIBILY AS “AN TENTNAL ASSLT ON THEM”.NAS MOHAMED NOW LIV SAN FRANCIS THE UNED STAT AS AN OPENLY GAY MAN. CRED: INSTAGRAM @DR._NASSFIFA AND QATARI OFFICIALS HAVE ASSURED VISORS TO THE NATN THAT THEY WILL BE EE OM DISCRIMATN, BUT GUTS ARE EXPECTED TO ADHERE TO THE CULTURAL NORMS OF QATAR.SHOULD FIFA AND WORLD CUP PLAYERS BE CHAMPNG LGBTIQ+ RIGHTS QATAR?NAS BELIEV THAT TEAMS, PLAYERS AND FIFA SHOULD BE ADVOTG LOUST FOR LGBTIQ+ RIGHTS DURG THE WORLD CUP QATAR. “THEY’RE NOT GOG TO BE HARMED,” HE SAID, TELLG ATTEN THEY SHOULD FOC ON THEIR OWN SAFETY FIRST.“BIG AND UNAPOLOGETIC VISIBILY IS THE RPONSIBILY OF THE TEAMS, PLAYERS AND FIFA.”IN OCTOBER, ATRALIA'S SOCCEROOS EXPRSED CRICISM OF THE QATARI ERNMENT’S STANCE ON LGBTIQ+ RIGHTS AS WELL AS NDNS FACED BY MIGRANT WORKERS A JOT STATEMENT.IN A VIO SHARED ON SOCIAL MEDIA, 16 SOCCEROOS PLAYERS LLED ON QATAR TO CRIMALISE SAME-SEX RELATNSHIPS."AS PLAYERS, WE FULLY SUPPORT THE RIGHTS OF THE LGBTI+ PEOPLE, BUT QATAR PEOPLE ARE NOT EE TO LOVE THE PERSON THEY CHOOSE. ADDRSG THE ISSU IS NOT EASY AND WE DON'T HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS," THEY SAID. "THIS MT CLU TABLISHG A MIGRANTS' ROURCE CENTRE, EFFECTIVE REMEDY FOR THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN NIED THEIR RIGHTS AND THE CRIMALISATN OF ALL SAME-SEX RELATNSHIPS."THE ARE BASIC RIGHTS THAT SHOULD BE AFFORD TO ALL AND WILL ENSURE NTUED PROGRS QATAR. THIS IS HOW WE N ENSURE A LEGACY THAT GO WELL BEYOND THE FAL WHISTLE OF THE 2022 FIFA WORLD CUP."READ MOREWHAT IS THE HUMAN ST OF THE WORLD CUP QATAR?THE SUPREME COMMTEE FOR DELIVERY AND LEGACY FOR THE QATAR WORLD CUP ACKNOWLEDGED THE SOCCEROOS' STATEMENT, SAYG MEND FOOTBALLERS "G THEIR PLATFORMS TO RAISE AWARENS FOR IMPORTANT MATTERS" AND ADDG THAT "NO UNTRY IS PERFECT".SEVERAL EUROPEAN TEAM PTAS HAVE ALSO ANNOUNCED THEIR TENTN TO WEAR RABOW PTA ARMBANDS THAT FEATURE THE WORDS “ONE LOVE” DURG THE WORLD CUP SUPPORT OF LGBTIQ+ RIGHTS.CAPTA OF THE GERMAN FOOTBALL TEAM JONAS HOFMANN SHOWS THE SPECIAL PTA'S ARMBAND AS A SIGN AGAST DISCRIMATN AND FOR DIVERSY. PHOTO: SEBASTIAN GOLLNOW/DPA SOURCE: DPA / SEBASTIAN GOLLNOWIN JUNE, NAS LNCHED A PETN ASKG FIFA TO E S FLUENCE TO STAND UP FOR LGBTIQ+ RIGHTS QATAR.IN AN OPEN LETTER TO FIFA PRINT GIANNI INFANTO, NAS WROTE THAT WHILE FIFA CELEBRAT QATAR AS A NATN SHOULD ALSO CELEBRATE LGBTIQ+ QATARIS WHO CURRENTLY "FEAR FOR THEIR SAFETY AND EEDOM”.“HUMAN RIGHTS VALU DON'T BELONG TO ONE NTENT, THEY'RE UNIVERSAL,” HE SAID.THE PETN IS NEARG S 80,000 SIGNATURE GOAL WH MORE THAN 70,000 PEOPLE HAVG ALREADY SIGNED SUPPORT.“LOVE IS NOT A CRIME, NOT JT THIS YEAR, BUT ALWAYS”, NAS SAID, URGG ANISATNS CLUDG FIFA TO NTUE TO ADVOTE FOR LGBTIQ+ RIGHTS QATAR AFTER THE WORLD CUP MOV ON.READ MOREDENMARK TO WEAR 'TONED DOWN' WORLD CUP K PROTT AGAST QATAR'S HUMAN RIGHTS RERDWHY AN ATRALIAN ACTIVIST STAGED A PROTT QATARHUMAN RIGHTS WATCH (HRW) RELEASED A REPORT OCTOBER OUTLG THE TREATMENT OF LGBTIQ+ PEOPLE QATAR, WH NAS NTRIBUTG TO THE FDGS BY NNECTG THE ANISATN TO PEOPLE QATAR.THE REPORT NTAS THE ACUNTS OF SIX LGBTIQ+ PEOPLE WHO SAY THEY WERE ARRTED, ATTACKED, AND KEPT SOLARY NFEMENT BEE OF THEIR SEXUALY OR GENR.NAS SE EVINCE-BASED REPORTG AS SENTIAL FOR BRGG AWARENS TO THE NDNS FACED BY LGBTIQ+ PEOPLE QATAR, SAYG THAT SIAR REPORTG WAS NOT AVAILABLE WHEN HE SOUGHT ASYLUM THE US.“WHEN I WAS FENDG MY ASYLUM SE, NOT HAVG EVINCE-BASED UNTRY NDNS FOR LGBT PEOPLE WAS AN OBSTACLE FOR ME, BEE THEY QUTNED WHETHER MY CLAIMS OF PROSECUTNS WERE REAL OR NOT,” HE SAID.THE REPORTG BY HRW PROMPTED ATRALIAN ACTIVIST PETER TATCHELL TO STAGE A PROTT THE STREETS OF DOHA LAST MONTH, DURG WHICH HE HELD A SIGN THAT READ “QATAR ARRTS, JAILS & SUBJECTS LGBTS TO 'NVERSN'”. IN JUNE, MR INFANTO EXPRSED NFINCE QATAR'S PROMIS OF AN CLIVE WORLD CUP. “WE'VE RECEIVED THE NECSARY GUARANTE, WE ARE TRAG ALL THE OFFICIALS, WE ARE WORKG HAND HAND WH THE ERNMENT, WH THE POLICE THORI, EVERYONE WILL BE WELE,” THE FIFA BOSS SAID.IN OCTOBER, HE HIGHLIGHTED FIFA'S ROLE PROMOTG HUMAN RIGHTS AND EQUALY – SCRIBG THE WORLD CUP AS “A TOURNAMENT OF PEACE AND UNY”. FIFA QATAR 2022 CHIEF OPERATG OFFICER COL SMH SAID THE WORLD FOOTBALL ERNG BODY SAW "THE POWER AND STRENGTH OF THE WORLD CUP AS A TALYST FOR CHANGE THE REGN". FIFA PRINT GIANNI INFANTO (CENTRE) WH RSIAN PRINT VLADIMIR PUT, AND THE EMIR OF QATAR SHEIKH TAMIM B HAMAD AL-THANI DURG 2018 FIFA WORLD CUP MOSW. CRED: ALEXEI NIKOLSKY/APWHEN ASKED ABOUT THE RIGHTS OF VISORS OM THE LGBTIQ+ MUNY EARLIER THIS YEAR, EMIR OF QATAR SHEIKH TAMIM B HAMAD AL-THANI SAID: “WE WELE EVERYBODY, BUT WE ALSO EXPECT AND WANT PEOPLE TO RPECT OUR CULTURE”.THE ANISG MTEE FOR THE QATAR WORLD CUP SPOKE WH SBS NEWS EARLIER THE YEAR AND SAID THAT LGBTIQ+ FANS WOULD NOT FACE ANY DISCRIMATN DURG THE TOURNAMENT.BUT NAS IS NCERNED THE PUBLIC RELATNS BY FIFA AND THE QATARI ERNMENT MIMISE THE "REAL LIFE NSEQUENC" FACED BY LGBTIQ+ PEOPLE QATAR. READ MOREWE ASKED IF GAY FANS WILL BE SAFE AT THE FIFA WORLD CUP QATAR. THIS IS WHAT THE HOSTS SAIDDPE THIS, HE HOP THAT CREASED VISIBILY BROUGHT BY THE WORLD CUP ULD BE A STEP TOWARDS OVERG THE OPPRSN OF LGBTIQ+ QATARIS.“BY THE END OF THE YEAR, WE WILL BE VISIBLE. I THK THAT'S A REALLY POSIVE CHANGE,” HE SAID.SBS NEWS PUT NAS' NCERNS ABOUT LGBTIQ+ RIGHTS TO FIFA AND THE QATARI ERNMENT. FIFA RPOND WH A STATEMENT OUTLG S POLICY TO UPHOLD HUMAN RIGHTS TERNATNALLY, SAYG THAT “FIFA’S POSN ON CLIVY AND THE PROTECTN OF HUMAN RIGHTS IS UNEQUIVOL”.FIFA LNCH S LGBTQIA0 WORK WH THE RAISG OF THE PRI FLAG AT S ZURICH HEADQUARTERS. CRED: FIFA“FIFA IS NFINT THAT ALL NECSARY MEASUR WILL BE PLACE FOR LGBTIQ+ FANS AND ALLI TO ENJOY THE TOURNAMENT A WELG AND SAFE ENVIRONMENT, JT AS FOR EVERYONE ELSE.” THE STATEMENT SAID.IN A STATEMENT TO SBS NEWS, A QATARI OFFICIAL SAID THAT "EVERYONE IS WELE QATAR", ADDG THAT "A SENSIVE APPROACH TO SECURY WILL BE ADOPTED" DURG THE WORLD CUP TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF ALL FANS.THE OFFICIAL ADD THAT VISORS SHOULD "RPECT LOL VALU AND CULTURE".SHARETAGSSPORTLIFEFIFA WORLD CUP 2022FIFA WORLD CUPREMEND FOR YOU

Earlier this year, Nas ma ternatnal headl as "the first openly gay Qatari", and he's g his platform to advote for. I left wh the tentn of not gog MohamedEarlier this year he cid to publicly e out as gay, leadg to media outlets dubbg him “the first openly gay Qatari”, although at the time he didn’t realise that he was the said the 2022 FIFA World Cup beg hosted Qatar was the talyst for publicly g out, as was “strikg nobody was speakg out” about LGBTIQ+ rights his homeland. _nassNas explaed that while he knows plenty of LGBTIQ+ people Qatar, he was surprised to fd out he was the first Qatari to e out as gay.

Although visors to the natn are generally ls likely to be persecuted for same-sex sexual activy, Nas warned that fans who “don’t pass” as heterosexual may be sgled out by explaed that some Qataris see LGBTIQ+ visibily as “an tentnal asslt on them” Mohamed now liv San Francis the Uned Stat as an openly gay man.

THIS MAN FLED QATAR FEAR OF PERSECUTN BEE HE'S GAY. NOW HE'S PHG BACK

It's an LGBTQ2+ soccer supporters club for Qatar's natnal team, named after the lour of the team's World Cup ambassador: Homosexualy is 'damage the md'As the tournament rolls on, Qatar ntu to face global scty for s crimalizatn of homosexualy. As the first and currently only Qatari to publicly e out as gay, Mohamed­—a doctor who has lived the U. But given homosexualy is crimalized Qatar, he is likely to rema s only member for the foreeable future.

QATAR'S FIRST OPENLY GAY MAN SPEAKS UP ABOUT WORLD CUP NTROVERSY

In the months sce, Mohamed lnched the non-prof Alwan Foundatn to advance LGBTQ+ rights across the Middle East and pecially Qatar, where he says that secury operativ filtrate gay muni orr to torture and erce members to rm on others. There are some people om really affluent fai that are gay and ’s almost public knowledge—but they’re really wealthy, affluent, and very nnected, so people jt don’t say anythg. Bee you uld be harmed, you n be gay bashed, you n be beaten, and people may not be able to help you.

BRAVE DOCTOR BE ‘FIRST’ QATARI TO PUBLICLY E OUT AS GAY

Nas has nfirmed that openly gay fans may fd themselv "at risk" even though FIFA and Qatar have nied any was born and raised Qatar, but kept his sexualy hidn for most of his life out of fear of persecutn a untry where homosexual relatns are crimalised.

GAY MAN 'HUNTED' BY QATAR POLICE AND GANG-RAPED HOTEL ROOM AHEAD OF WORLD CUP

Acrdg to a report by SBS News, the Human Digny Tst claims that same-sex timacy is an offence punishable wh the ath penalty Qatar's terpretatn of the Sharia, who ped Qatar 11 years ago to seek asylum the Uned Stat, publicly me out this year and was surprised to learn that he has been dubbed as the first openly gay Qatari man. A doctor has bee the “first” known Qatari to publicly e out as gay – and he’s now seekg asylum the US.

QATARI DOCTOR BE FIRST MAN THE UNTRY TO E OUT AS GAY

Homosexualy is illegal the Gulf natn and punishments range om f, jail time and, regns where the Sharia urt l, queer Mlim men n technilly be given a ath sentence. One gay Qatari man said that he suffered “irreparable damage to [his] mental health” bee of the climate of fear and discrimatn. The man is not alone Mohamed said there are “a lot of gay people Qatar” who grow up a untry where “male, macho, righteo and misogynistic culture” is celebrated.

35-YEAR-OLD DOCTOR BE FIRST QATARI TO PUBLICLY COME OUT AS GAY: REPORT

The World Cup will start jt two weeks' time, spe grave ncerns over Qatar's rerd on human rights, wh the Middle East untry ntug to persecute the LGBT+ munyA gay man has claimed he was hunted by police ahead of the upg World CupA gay man who has prevly livg Qatar has claimed he was 'hunted' by the untry's police force before beg gang-raped a hotel room.

One of the biggt ncerns about the Middle East untry is s laws which outlaw homosexualy, wh LGBT+ people the untry at risk of imprisonment or even the ath penalty. One gay man om the Philipp who worked Qatar as an office assistant, has told how he was lured to a hotel and gang-raped by police.

The man, 'Ali', told the i that he received a msage on a gay datg app om a man claimg to be a Turkish worker. The police officers then searched his bag, accg him of beg a prostute, before another gay man arrived after also beg lured to a hotel.

FIRST OPENLY GAY QATARI SEEKS ASYLUM IN THE US

Acrdg to the report, several other gay men have claimed they were 'hunted' the same way by Qatar's police force. Nas Mohamed is a Qatari 35-year-old doctor who beme the first man to e out as gay the untry, where homosexualy is still illegal. In an terview wh The Inpennt, the Qatari gay doctor said he was done remag “anonymo” and that was time for him to share his journey to acceptg his sexualy, which was not an easy one.

Homosexualy Qatar is illegal and punishable by f, jail time and, regns where the Sharia law is applied more severely, queer people uld actually face a ath sentence.

“I walked to a gay club and I knew I was 100 percent gay, ” he said “I went home and cried – I thought my life is crisis. He is aware that g out as a Qatari gay man might mean beg pletely tranged om his fay and never rennectg wh them. (File)Homosexualy Qatar is illegal, therefore, life the Gulf state was not easy for Dr Nas Mohammed who had to nstantly hi who he really is.

OPN: DR. NASSER ‘NAS’ MOHAMED SOUGHT ASYLUM THE US AFTER G OUT AS GAY. HERE’S WHAT HE WANTS PEOPLE TO KNOW ABOUT QATAR

However, the 35-year-old has now e out the open and may have jt bee the first Qatari man to clare publicly that he is gay. The Gulf state is also one of the almost 70 untri intified by the Internatnal Lbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Associatn which crimalis nsensual same-sex activy. But this is strongly nied by gay Qataris who argue that they merely want to seek acceptance om their own untry.

”Also Read | "Deeply Concerned": Apple CEO Tim Cook Red Flags New US Laws On Gay RightsHe said that he uld not nfi anyone, nor date. It was only on a trip as a medil stunt to Las Vegas his early twenti and a vis to a gay club that he was certa about his sexualy. It would be rrect to state that Nas Mohamed is the only gay Qatari, but to be openly gay and speak publicly wh the media about his sexualy is groundbreakg.

Nasser “Nas” Mohamed appeared The Inpennt and on the BBC, where he beme what many lled the first Qatari to e out publicly as gay. Based on the terpretatn of the law Qatar, the way is wrten, technilly allows punishment up to the ath penalty for homosexual relatnships between men, based on Sharia law.

BBC NEWS BRASIL – INTERNATNAL ‘I THOUGHT THEY WERE GOG TO KILL ME’: THE STORY OF THE FIRST GAY MAN TO APPEAR QATAR 23/06/2022 08:37

And then through that work, I got to learn about some of the gay people that were still livg Qatar.

The existg nversatn was about whether gay fans were gog to be OK durg the 28 days of the tournament.

Now 35 years old, “I remember beg 11 or 12 years old and I was thkg about , but I didn’t really know what meant to be gay, ” he tells BBC Hispanic BBC News Mundo an terview. However, some associatns, such as the European Gay and Lbian Sports Feratn, plaed that secury guarante for LGBTQ+ dividuals Qatar were aquate months before the World Cup began. “I know gay people who don’t even know that other people close to them are (gay) bee ’s very dangero for an LGBT+ person to meet another person.

GAY MAN OM QATAR SOUNDS ALARM ABOUT VERAGE OF THE WORLD CUP AND LGBT OPPRSN

Nas says censorship reigns wh the Qatari gay muny and nothg is transparent, but he assur that not everyone will live unr the same ndns. She also hop this will help other gay and transgenr Qataris have documented stori to e as evince if they plan to seek asylum other untri where they n live eely.

It was durg a trip to the Uned Stat 2010 when I really e to terms wh the fact that I am gay – that I uld choose to not get married to a woman back home and be happy the USA. In 2015, I moved to San Francis and filed for polil asylum as I was aaid to return to Qatar as I ntued to e out as a gay man.

For ee real time breakg news alerts sent straight to your box sign up to our breakg news emailsSign up to our ee breakg news emailsThe moment Nas Mohamed knew for certa he was gay, he panicked. Qatar is one of almost 70 untri intified by the Internatnal Lbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Associatn which crimalis nsensual same-sex om the illegaly, the social prsur on any Qatari spected of beg LGBT+ are Qataris live the shadows nstant fear of their secret beg public, beg tected, entrapped or harassed by police and secury servic.

‘I DO NOT WISH TO BE ANONYMO’: DOCTOR BE ‘FIRST’ QATARI TO PUBLICLY E OUT AS GAY

Dpe all this Nas has ma the cisn to e out the media, possibly the first Qatari to clare himself as gay to the public and not jt a few tsted iends. Any chance of returng home to Qatar ever aga is be 'first' Qatari to publicly e out as gayBut he sists he ma the right cisn. This is strongly nied, not only by Nas, but other gay Qataris who argue they merely want to seek acceptance om their own issue of homosexualy the Gulf has long been the spotlight but has been phed centre stage by the fact that Qatar will host football’s World Cup, arguably the biggt sportg event the world, startg six months’ time.

And recent months, there has been an examatn of the untry’s law on homosexualy and treatment of s LGBT+ muny. ”Nas Mohamed nows liv the US and says he would fear gog back to Qatar (Nas Mohamed)He adds: “But I haven’t met anyone who is publicly out as a gay person Qatar.

GAY QATARI MAN WON’T LET WORLD CUP ‘BURY’ LGBTQ+ ATROCI ‘ THE SHADOWS’

He is shg a light on the homophobia of the Qatar regime, showg why Fifa should have never given the untry the right to host the World Cup, ” he says.

CONFN, EXASPERATN AND DATG APPS – MY MONTH AS A GAY REPORTER AT THE QATAR WORLD CUP

He speaks of gay nversn therapy centr operatg the untry, and growg up where a “male, macho, righteo and misogynistic culture” is “celebrated”. It was only on a trip as a medil stunt to Las Vegas, of all plac, his early twenti and the vis to a gay club that he was certa about his eventually told his parents, who ially feared, Nas says, he was gog to tell them he planned to marry a non– and women wearg tradnal Qatari clothg walk along the Corniche Doha (Getty Imag)“I told them I was gay and that I uld not nform to the way other people live Qatar.

GAY PEOPLE LIVG UNR RADAR QATAR PREPARE WARILY FOR WORLD CUP

But for me, an out and proud gay Qatari who had to flee my home, is a remr of the dangero and adly LGBTphobia that exists Qatar.

Currently, homosexualy is illegal Qatar unr Article 296 of the penal wh punishment rangg om imprisonment of 3-5 years, and even DEATH. Bee of the homophobic laws and the daily social and legal obstacl that exist Qatari society, I had no other choice but to seek asylum the Uned Stat for my own safety. The event’s ma anizer, Hassan Al Thawadi, suggted that LGBT+ visors should rpect Qatar’s homophobic culture and “simply take a break” om beg do damage to s reputatn for jtice, by selectg a stnch anti-LGBT+ natn to host the 2022 World Cup.

A gay Qatari man who helped she a light on the persecutn of LGBTQ+ people the Gulf natn is termed that the World Cup won’t succeed “sports washg”. Josh Cavallo, the gay Atralian footballer, said 2021 that he would be “sred” to play Qatar due to s crimalisatn of LGBTQ+ inti. I was fortunate, too, that The Athletic’s football edor is a gay man who felt the issue should be explored.

JAGS' MAXEN IS FIRST MALE AMERIN PRO SPORTS ACH TO E OUT AS GAY

It meant tailg and unrstandg how and why LGBT+ people — and that bloody armband — beme one of the them of the here is a gay guy’s acunt of the past month, reportg the World Cup Qatar. Gianni Infanto speaks ntroversially ahead of the tournament (Photo: Christopher Lee/Getty Imag)Homosexual behavur is illegal Qatar, as is sex outsi of marriage, regardls of sexual orientatn, so some of what I am scribg may e as a surprise. “I go to a hook-up bee I crave pany and nnectn, even if is fleetg, ” says one gay man, whose inty is ncealed to protect his inty.

KEV MAXEN BE FIRST MALE ACH A US MEN’S PROFSNAL SPORTS LEAGUE TO PUBLICLY E OUT AS GAY

The hostily is worse for those nsired feme, or trans, unrlg that so much about homophobia is unrpned by warped perceptns of the tournament, many Wtern journalists had obssed over whether men would be able to hold hands Doha.

Several gay men were rigned to unfulfilled personal liv, forced to marry women to su society, whether Qatar or neighbourg stat.

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS' KEV MAXEN BE FIRST MALE COACH TO COME OUT AS GAY MAJOR U.S. SPORTS

They explaed that fay and relign do the job of the state, imposg a cloak of shame over homosexualy.

One said he was prepared to set asi his own happs bee he feared his father would be stigmatised by his fay if he was known to have a gay person shared so many of the same terts as me. ”Brighton is often scribed as England’s gay pal, which mak the nversatn untentnally funny — to me, fd some mon ground: “It’s not somethg you n ntrol, ” he says. Instead, was a multi-loured pattern that stopped short of clarg self as a statement relatg specifilly to LGBT+ people or gay rights Qatar.

A 959-word statement on the English FA’s webse scribed the armband as a mpaign to “stop discrimatn” but did not mentn the words “gay” or “LGBT” relatn to the FA chief executive Mark Bullgham scribed the armband “as a visible show of support for cln football — somethg we strongly believe and have nsistently supported”. A few days later, Qatar World Cup ambassador and former ternatnal footballer Khalid Salman told a German broadster that to be gay is “haram”, meang forbidn said: “I am not a strict Mlim, but why is haram?