In ZDF documentary: World Cup ambassador from Qatar calls homosexuality "mental damage"

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Passers-by pose in front of a “Fifa World Cup” lettering in Doha: The World Cup will take place from November 20th to December 18th

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JEWEL SAMAD / AFP

Qatari World Cup ambassador and former national soccer player Khalid Salman has described homosexuality as "mental harm".

The statement was made in an interview in the ZDF documentary "Geheimsache Qatar" by Jochen Breyer and Julia Friedrichs.

It airs on Tuesday evenings.

The excerpt with Salman's statements was already shown in the "heute-journal" on Monday evening.

“A lot of things will come into the country during the World Cup.

For example, let's talk about gays,' Salman said.

“The most important thing is that everyone will accept that they come here.

But they will have to accept our rules.” Above all, he has problems with children seeing gay men.

Because they would then learn something that is not good.

In his eyes, being gay is »haram« and forbidden, said Salman.

"It's mental damage."

In the original he said "damage in the mind".

The interview was interrupted at this point by the spokesman for the World Cup Organizing Committee.

Qatar is considered one of the most controversial hosts in World Cup history.

Among other things, the emirate is accused of human rights violations, bad treatment of stadium construction workers and a lack of women's rights.

In the run-up to the World Cup, the desert state is trying to convey a different picture.

Officially, fans from the LGBTQ scene are also welcome.

From November 20th, 32 national teams will be playing for the title in the desert state.

The final will take place on December 18th in front of more than 80,000 spectators in the Lusail Stadium.

In the "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung" (Monday), Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani described the criticism of Qatar, especially from Europe, as "very arrogant and very racist".

At the same time, he referred to reforms in his country that would continue after the World Cup.

aar/dpa