World Cup 2022: Homosexual British sports minister to wear ‘OneLove’ headband

UK sports minister Stuart Andrew, who is openly gay, is determined to wear the OneLove rainbow headband in the stands on Tuesday, which FIFA has banned players from wearing in Qatar.

The English and Welsh are among a select few who have abandoned the idea of ​​wearing the armband after threats of sports sanctions from world football’s highest body, which considered yellow cards against captains.

In the stands, he won’t be first at the World Cup because German Interior Minister Nancy Faezer, who has sports in her portfolio, wore an armband next to FIFA President Gianni Infantino during Germany’s loss. 2:1 in favor of Japan last Wednesday. Belgian Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib did the same during the Red Devils’ victory over Canada in Qatar (2:1).

English LGBT+ fans boycott Qatar

homosexuality is illegal in Qatar, and rainbow colored items, armbands and the like were confiscated from several fans during the first round of the World Cup.

Stuart Andrew (51) told Britain’s ITV that he would “definitely” wear the eyepatch on Tuesday and said he was “glad” that his German counterpart set the example last week. The British minister also said it was “unfair” that the British and Welsh were banned at the last moment from wearing the eyepatch.

The English LGBT+ fan group 3LionsPride decided before this World Cup that its members would not go to Qatar. “These matches should be a holiday for all fans, but, unfortunately, many of them believe that this is not the case,” the sports minister regretted, “this is not a tournament for them. They felt they couldn’t be a part of it and that was unacceptable.”