We certainly hope that Qatar will make positive steps toward a more progressive system of laws dealing with homosexuality between now and 2022 and see the World Cup as a unique opportunity to show the world how warmly its culture may embrace people from different backgrounds and of different beliefs, practices and sexual orientations. However, while twelve years is a long enough stretch of time to see these practices overturned, it is not sufficient to passively hope that this will occur. The challenge presented to the international community is that of engaging the Middle Eastern and Qatari communities and the gay community and proactively seeking solutions that provide for greater harmony between the two in the lead-up to the tournament.
FIFA has championed an anti-discrimination campaign that has seen slogans like “Say No To Racism” and “A Time To Make Friends” make their mark on domestic and international football matches around the world. The positive moves that FIFA has made in promoting the anti-racism cause in particular is admirable and forms a strong foundation for similar progress to be made in other causes under the anti-discrimination umbrella, including anti-homophobia.
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