BRUSSELS. Stadiums and flags, fans and rights. The world cup in Qatar causes a clash between local rules and universal sporting principles, for a short circuit that sees the European Union working to try to overcome the contradictions of a maximum football competition that closes the doors to the LGBTQi community. The issue of homosexuality in the emirate is taboo, the union of two people of the same sex is a crime in the country, and the national authorities have already distinguished themselves by pronouncing themselves against the exposure of the rainbow drapes inside the plants that from 21 November on December 18th they will host the various national team meetings. The EU is determined to raise the issue, even before the start of the demonstration, the first ever in the Arab world.
“The protection and respect for the human rights of visiting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI +) football fans will play a prominent role in the forthcoming fourth EU-Qatar human rights dialogue, to be held in September 2022. »Assures Josep Borrell. The High Representative for EU foreign and security policy is determined not to stop at the appointment that precedes the world cup. The European Union “will continue to closely monitor the human rights situation in Qatar, including the rights and freedoms of people from the LGBTI + community, in view of the World Cup, during the event and after its closure”.
There is therefore the intention to proceed to an action of dialogue and conviction towards the emirate continues, without pause. An operation of moral suasion that intends to insist on issues that go beyond the question of the LGBTQi community. Because there is much more at stake. “Tolerance and inclusion play a leading role” in everyday life, whether it is a month, long enough to start and end a sporting event. For this reason, continues Borrell, responding to the concerns of some MEPs, tolerance and inclusion will be central in the discussions that the EU intends to have with the Qatari authorities. It is impossible for the European Union to ignore the issue of respect for fundamental rights. Internally, it has had to manage the initiatives of Poland and Hungary, whose governments and majorities have in recent months enacted measures considered to be detrimental to these rights. In Poland, some municipalities have declared themselves “LGBTBI free”, except to backtrack due to the threat from Brussels not to disburse EU funds. An infringement procedure has been launched against Hungary for school teaching policies. The EU executive does not have great tools to persuade Doha to back down, but it can put political pressure on it. Exactly what is planned. The World Cup cannot be an excuse to ignore it, if anything it is the reason and the best opportunity to insist on an issue dear to the EU. This is the approach of Borrell and the college of commissioners to which he belongs.