LGBT activists protest at FIFA museum ahead of Qatar World Cup
The All Out group that organised the Zurich protest on Tuesday wants FIFA to pressure Qatar to decriminalise same-sex relations and protect the LGBT+ community
Reuters / Arnd Wiegmann
A few dozen people have protested in front of the FIFA Museum in Zurich to press for the rights of the LGBT+ community ahead of the World Cup hosted by Gulf state Qatar.
This content was published on
2 minutes
Reuters/ts
Português
pt
Ativistas LGBT protestam no museu da FIFA antes da Copa do Mundo do Catar
Some football players have raised concerns over the rights of fans travelling to the event, especially LGBT+ individuals and women, against whom rights groups say Qatari laws discriminate.
In an interview filmed in Doha and to be screened later on Tuesday, a Qatar World Cup ambassador told German television broadcaster ZDF that homosexuality, which is illegal in the conservative Muslim country, was “damage in the mind”.
More
More
Ex-FIFA boss regrets choice of Qatar for World Cup
This content was published on
The former FIFA president, Sepp Blatter, says the choice of Qatar to host the 2022 World Cup was a mistake as the Gulf country is too small.
The All Out group that organised the Zurich protest on Tuesday said the demonstration aimed to “make sure FIFA and Qatar know the world is watching and that citizens around the world expect action”.
All Out wants FIFA to pressure Qatar to decriminalise same-sex relations and protect the LGBT+ community. It said FIFA had not publicly committed to concrete steps that would ensure the safety of LGBT+ football fans, gay players or the local LGBT+ community.
‘Safe and welcoming environment’
“FIFA is confident that all necessary measures will be in place for LGBTIQ+ fans and allies to enjoy the tournament in a welcoming and safe environment, just as for everyone else,” a spokesperson for world football’s governing body responded to Reuters in an email.
FIFA’s position was that discrimination of any kind on account of sexual orientation was strictly prohibited, the spokesperson said. “Qatar as a host country is fully committed to ensuring that everyone will be able to enjoy the tournament in a safe and welcoming environment, including members of the LGBTIQ+ community.”
More
More
‘Is Qatar ready for the whole world? I don’t think so’
This content was published on
The football World Cup kicks off in Qatar in two weeks. A Swiss teacher gives us her insights into a challenging culture.
Qatar is the first Middle Eastern country to host the World Cup, but the small nation has come under intense pressure for its treatment of foreign workers and restrictive social laws.
The country’s human rights record has led to calls for teams and officials to boycott the tournament, which takes place from November 20 to December 18. Switzerland’s three group games are against Cameroon on November 24, Brazil on November 28 and Serbia on December 2.
More
More
Swiss tackle homophobia in sport
This content was published on
“As an athlete but also as a human being, I think we need to stop any kind of discrimination in order to unleash our full potential,” Simona Meiler told swissinfo.ch ahead of the games. Meiler is one of Switzerland’s best snowboarders and finished 10th in her event on Sunday. She is also the only openly…
This content was published on
The latest figures from the Federal Office of Public Health show that lab-confirmed cases dropped from nearly 2,340 to under 2,000 last week.
Swiss cities targeted by Russian hackers during WEF
This content was published on
Russian hackers have targeted canton Schaffhausen and the cities of Geneva and Sierre, paralysing their websites on Wednesday morning.
This content was published on
Paul Hottinguer, a member of one of Switzerland’s most famous banking families, will face trial in Paris for tax fraud and money laundering.
Swiss man who died in Iranian prison had photographed military site
This content was published on
The Iranian judiciary said that the Swiss man who died in an Iranian prison on January 9 had been detained for photographing a restricted military site.
Swiss researchers patent new device for avalanche detection
This content was published on
The WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research said it has granted a group of Swiss researchers a patent for a device to enhance avalanche warnings.
Berset discusses ECHR climate ruling implementation at Davos
This content was published on
Switzerland has submitted a report on the court's ruling in Strasbourg. Berset told Justice Minister Beat Jans that the Council of Europe is reviewing it.
This content was published on
A 27-year-old ski tourer has died in the hospital in Sion, in southwestern Switzerland, after being caught in an avalanche on Saturday.
Swiss health minister criticises Trump’s ‘rash’ WHO exit
This content was published on
Switzerland has expressed “deep” regret over Trump’s decision to withdraw from the WHO, Swiss Health Minister Elisabeth Baume-Schneider said in Davos.
This content was published on
Job vacancies in Switzerland fell by 10% in 2024, marking the first negative annual balance since the Covid-19 pandemic, says Adecco.
Swiss president meets Zelensky in Davos amid tensions with Europe
This content was published on
Swiss President met Zelensky at Davos. As Zelensky thanked Switzerland, Keller-Sutter said it's too early to discuss a new summit, awaiting Trump's actions.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
‘Project Merciless’: how Qatar spied on the world of football in Switzerland
This content was published on
Qatar orchestrated a major intelligence operation against FIFA officials helped by ex-CIA agents. Switzerland was a key theatre of operations.
‘Marriage for all’ wins thumping approval of Swiss voters
This content was published on
A law giving full marriage and adoption rights to same-sex couples has been accepted by almost two-thirds of Swiss citizens.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.