As a matter of public record, last November, the oil-rich Gulf state of Qatar, hosted the men’s soccer World Cup. The organisers and FIFA in particular, ensured that the tournament was run in a way that did not breach the cultural, moral and religious sensitivities of the Qatari people. There were no political messages or any form of virtue signalling. The English and Wales teams made a big deal out of the Qatari rules and tried to wear gay-themed armbands and jerseys during matches. However, they were warned in no uncertain terms that such antics would only elicit stiff punishment. Needless to say that they caved in and focused on the job that they were there for in the first place, namely to play football.
Great Britain’s Foreign Secretary James Cleverly also chipped in by warning any travelling gay fans not to engage in any political protests. He urged his countrymen to “respect the laws of their host country”. Mr Cleverley reminded the British in case they had forgotten that “These are Muslim countries, they have a very different cultural starting point [from] us.”
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