“I am sitting here, in Qatar, as gay”declared FIFA’s director of media relations, Bryan Swanson, on Saturday on the eve of the start of the 2022 World Cup in the small emirate, where homosexuality is criminalized.
‘We have received guarantees in Qatar’
At the end of a long press conference by FIFA president Gianni Infantino, which was organized by Bryan Swanson, the latter took the floor to defend his boss, a victim in his eyes of “criticism” coming “especially from the LGBTQ+ community”.
“I would like to say something by taking advantage of this platform”, declared the Briton. “I am sitting here, in Qatar, in a privileged position, in front of the whole world, as a gay person,” he proclaimed.
The Scottish leader said he could guarantee first-hand Doha’s guarantees to all visitors, whatever their sexual orientation, they will be “welcome”. “We have received assurances that everyone will be welcome and I believe that everyone will be welcome at this World Cup,” he continued on the eve of the tournament’s start on Sunday, with the opening match between Qatar and Ecuador.
The Qatari organizers of the World Cup have ensured for several years that members of the LGBTQ+ community will be welcomed without discrimination, despite laws that criminalize homosexuality and sexual relations outside of marriage.
A guarantee reinforced on Saturday by Gianni Infantino: “If someone says otherwise, it is not the opinion of the country and it is not the opinion of FIFA,” declared the Italian-Swiss leader. The latter had started his speech on Saturday with a long speech in which he said he felt “Qatari, Arab”, “African”, “gay”, “disabled”, “migrant worker”… “Not because Gianni is not gay, he wants to say not to worry about this matter”, defended Bryan Swanson, a former star reporter for Sky Sports who has become FIFA’s director of media relations since August 2021.
“I’ve thought for a long time about being a part of this or not,” he said.
“At FIFA, we care about the whole world. We are an inclusive organization. I have a number of gay partners. I am fully aware of the debate and fully respect the right of others to think differently. I get it. But I also know what we are fighting for,” she concluded.
Bryan Swanson, FIFA spokesman: “I am here in Qatar, I am gay. I have seen that everyone is welcome here. Just because Infantino isn’t gay doesn’t mean he doesn’t care. We are an inclusive association”. This is how the press conference of the FIFA president ends in Doha
— Natalia Junquera (@nataliajunquera) November 19, 2022
EFE
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