Fans being removed from the World Cup seems to be a trend this year in Qatar.
Before the first whistle blew for the Group B matchup between the United States and Iran on Tuesday, security at Al Thumama Stadium escorted a fan out of the premises. The fan was wearing a rainbow armband in protest of Qatar’s exclusion of LGBTQ+ rights.
According to Qatar’s security, all fans must respect the law and the culture.
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Leading up to the 2022 FIFA World Cup, LGBTQ+ fans actually planned on avoiding the Middle Eastern country because of the scrutiny Qatari security forces imposed upon their community of people.
In an interview with German public broadcaster ZDF, an ambassador for the World Cup described homosexuality as a “damage in the mind.” Since then, tensions have been high during the tournament and fans have clearly shown their opinions on the issue.
