Qatar has taken 'real steps' for safety of gay fans, says Foreign Secretary James Cleverly
Qatar has taken "real steps" to ensure the safety of gay fans attending the World Cup, Foreign Secretary James Cleverly has said.
The build-up to the tournament has seen concerns raised over LGBT as well as broader human rights in Qatar.Mr Cleverly has just returned from Qatar, where he met with British police and consular officials as well as ministers from the Qatari government.Asked whether Qatar was safe for gay fans, he said gay rights was an issue he had "brought up over a number of years" while working with the hosts in preparation for the event.
"The Qataris know how seriously we take this issue and they have taken real steps to ensure that gay football fans are safe and do feel secure and can enjoy the football."Mr Cleverly was asked whether he thought fans should be allowed to wear rainbow hats in support of LGBT rights while attending games.
Mr Cleverly said that the "rules for what goes on in the stadia" were a matter for Fifa and the football authorities.ahead of the tournament, he called on fans to "please... be respectful of the host nation" and show "a little bit of flex and compromise".
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