Josh Caballo, the first active footballer to come out of the closet, said hosting major tournaments such as the World Cup should be considered based on the countries' relationship with the LGBT community. Australian Caballo is not expected to be in his squad for the World Cup in Qatar, but previously said he would be "scared" to play in the World Cup in the principality , where homosexual intercourse is still considered a criminal offence.
Also in the 2018 World Cup when the games were held in Russia, the issue made headlines when the "homosexual propaganda" law, passed in 2013, was used there to stop gay pride marches and arrest gay rights activists.
"I vow to stand up for athletes from the LGBTQ community and fans at the World Cup in Qatar, who cannot live openly, in an authentic way.
Qatar, FIFA, the world is watching, do you see us?"
Caballo said yesterday (Wednesday) in a video he uploaded to social networks.
Honored to receive Man Of The Year and guide the LGBTQ community to live without fear, to show that everyone is accepted in society!
🌎
It was a pleasure to work with @attitudemag and the team on this cover pic.twitter.com/W85cL0kVaG
— Josh Cavallo (@JoshuaCavallo) October 13, 2022
"I call on sports leaders to think about our rights and our safety while choosing host countries for the World Cup and other competitions. We must do better," Caballo added.
Nasser Al Khater, chief executive of the 2022 World Cup, said LGBT fans coming to the country would not have to worry about "persecution of any kind", describing Qatar as a "tolerant country".
The World Cup will begin on November 20 and continue until December 18.
Another month, the World Cup begins.
There are those who don't like the choice, photo: AFP
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