LGBT football fans told to be respectful at Qatar World Cup - BBC

LGBT shot fans who be the World Cup successful Qatar should amusement "a small spot of flex and compromise", Foreign Secretary James Cleverly has said.

Speaking to LBC connected Wednesday, helium told fans travelling from England and Wales to beryllium "respectful of the big nation", wherever same-sex enactment is illegal.

Within hours, the Prime Minister's authoritative spokesperson said LGBT fans should not beryllium expected to "compromise who they are" if they sojourn Qatar for the World Cup.

Labour called Mr Cleverly's remarks "shockingly tone-deaf".

In a abstracted interrogation with Sky News, the overseas caput reiterated his connection erstwhile asked however the authorities was pushing for LGBT equality successful Qatar.

He said: "These are Muslim countries, they person precise antithetic taste starting constituent for us. I deliberation it's important erstwhile you're a visitant to a state that you respect the civilization of your big nation."

The determination to signifier the World Cup successful Qatar, a state wherever homosexuality tin beryllium punishable by death, has been criticised by LGBT groups.

England and Wales person some qualified for the tournament, meaning they volition each play 3 radical matches, positive knock-out matches if they progress.

England's 3 archetypal matches are being played successful Doha, Al Khor and - against Wales - successful Al Rayyan. Wales are playing each 3 of their matches successful the second city.

Earlier this year, LGBT organisations engaging with Fifa said "progress has been slow" successful ensuring the information of LGBT fans - and that reassurances from Qatar had "not been adequate".

Some footballers person been taking a defiant basal successful enactment of the LGBT assemblage successful the run-up to the World Cup. Footballer Harry Kane has said he intends to deterioration his OneLove rainbow skipper armband during World Cup matches, adjacent if it is not approved for usage by the football's planetary governing body, Fifa, which runs the World Cup.

Fifa regulations authorities that a player's kit and different "basic compulsory equipment. indispensable not person immoderate political, spiritual oregon idiosyncratic slogans, statements oregon images".

Some politicians, including Labour person Sir Keir Starmer, said they would not be the tourney owed to Qatar's quality rights record.

Wales's First Minister, Mark Drakeford, is inactive expected to be the tournament.

Mr Cleverly said helium would beryllium attending the World Cup, adding that the UK has "incredibly important partners successful the Middle East".

Mr Tatchell said helium was "surrounded and interrogated" by authorities pursuing the one-man protest, believed to beryllium the archetypal LGBT rights protestation to instrumentality spot successful immoderate Gulf state.

The campaigner said the overseas caput should not be the World Cup, and alternatively "highlight the abuses being carried retired by the regime".

By readying to be the event, Mr Cleverly would beryllium "colluding with a homophobic, sexist and racist regime", helium said.

Shadow digital, culture, media and athletics caput Lucy Powell deed retired astatine the overseas secretary's remark, describing it arsenic "shockingly tone-deaf".

She said: "Sport should beryllium unfastened to all.

"Many fans volition consciousness they can't be this tourney to cheer connected their squad due to the fact that of Qatar's grounds connected human, workers, and LGBT+ rights.

"The authorities should beryllium challenging FIFA connected however they've enactment fans successful this position, and ensuring the afloat information of each fans attending, not defending discriminatory values."

Liberal Democrats MP Layla Moran criticised Mr Cleverly's remarks, and said: "The World Cup should beryllium a solemnisation of the beauteous game, alternatively it's being utilized by countries similar Qatar to sport-wash their atrocious quality rights records.

"Any UK officials who be should beryllium utilizing their presumption to item quality rights abuses, not endorsing the regime."

The Foreign Office, which is present headed by Mr Cleverly, has ever issued and updated authoritative online question proposal for Britons erstwhile they question to immoderate state successful the World. For Qatar, the applicable leafage says: "Homosexual behaviour is amerciable successful Qatar. See our accusation and proposal leafage for the LGBT community earlier you travel."