I have 'conflicted' feelings about the World Cup, says gay journalism student
26 October 2022, 19:39
Gay football journalist with conflicted feelings towards the World Cup
This gay journalism student told Shelagh Fogarty that football is getting "uglier and uglier."
Alfie told LBC presenter Shelagh Fogarty on Wednesday how "utterly conflicted" he feels about the World Cup, which is being held in Qatar in November, despite the Gulf state's homophobic laws.
"Football's such a beautiful thing - but everywhere I look with this it is just ugly and uglier," Alfie said.
It came after foreign secretary James Cleverly told LBC that British LGBT football fans should "flex and compromise" at the Qatar World Cup.
Mr Cleverly was also criticised for saying LGBT football fans should "respect" customs in Qatar - even if that means hiding their sexuality.
The Labour Party accused Mr Cleverly of being "shockingly tone deaf". Shadow culture secretary Lucy Powell said: "Sport should be open to all. Many fans will feel they can’t attend this tournament to cheer on their team because of Qatar’s record on human, workers, and LGBT+ rights.
"The Government should be challenging FIFA on how they’ve put fans in this position, and ensuring the full safety of all fans attending, not defending discriminatory values."
Homosexuality is illegal in Qatar, and punishable by up to three years in prison - and even the death sentence for Muslims, although there are no verified cases of anyone being executed for being gay in Qatar.
Ben Kentish schools this caller who defends James Cleverly's comments on Qatar
Shelagh asked Alfie after Mr Cleverly's comments: "So when you hear someone say just hide the fact that you're gay, how do you feel when you hear that?"
Alfie replied: "When someone who is just ringing to a phone in show says it because, i'm sort of ok with that because I'm aware some people might have those opinions.
"But when the strongest opinion, the Foreign Secretary of this country, can offer Qatar, countries and to people who hold these views to his appeasement, I despair at where progress is going to come from really."
Shelagh Fogarty caller defends James Cleverly's comments on World Cup
Alfie later added: "It's a beautiful game at the end of the day, and it annoys me so much that we've got to a stage that we're living in a world where it's so tarnished."
He concluded by telling Shelagh that he hadn't come out to his dad yet, and although he's "mildly" worried he can't imagine being in a country where it's illegal.
Qatar has been under a renewed spotlight for its LGBT stance, after veteran LGBT activist Peter Tatchell claimed he was arrested on Tuesday in Qatar for staging a protest agains the regime.
Mr Tatchell later said that by attending the World Cup, Mr Cleverly is "colluding with a homophobic, sexist and racist regime" and said he should instead "highlight the abuses" it has carried out.
