Qatar World Cup ambassador says homosexuality is ‘damage in the mind’
- Homosexuality is illegal in the conservative Muslim country and some players have raised concerns over the rights of fans travelling for the event
- Organisers have repeatedly said everyone was welcome in the country during the World Cup
A Qatar World Cup ambassador has told German television ZDF that homosexuality was “damage in the mind”, as the Gulf state prepares to host the global tournament in less than two weeks.
In an interview filmed in Doha and to be screened later on Tuesday, former Qatari international Khalid Salman addressed the issue of homosexuality being illegal in Qatar.
The country expects more than 1 million visitors for the World Cup and Khalid Salman said anyone coming to Qatar for the tournament should behave according to the rules of the country.
“They have to accept our rules here,” he said, in an excerpt of the interview. “[Homosexuality] is haram. You know what haram [forbidden] means?” he said.
When asked why it was haram, Khalid Salman: “I am not a strict Muslim but why is it haram? Because it is damage in the mind.”