A poster with a list of prohibitions for the Qatar 2022 World Cupas drinking alcohol or profanity, does not belong to the organization of the World Cup and contains misleading information about the activities allowed in the sporting event.
Users share an image on social networks with the title “Qatar welcomes you!” (Qatar welcomes you) with icons of supposed prohibitions for visitors traveling to the Arab country for the 2022 World Cup next winter.
The eight restricted actions according to viral information are drinking alcohol, homosexuality, impudence, blasphemy, not respecting places of worshiploud music and noise, dating, and taking photos of people without their permission.
“And they have the little dignity to put ‘Qatar welcomes you’ (…) is probably the only World Cup that will be preferred to watch from home,” says a user on Twitter. The posts have gained tens of thousands of interactions.
Facts: But the poster does not belong to the World Cup organization and contains misleading information about the activities allowed in the sporting event.
Came out of an unofficial account
A reverse search of the image shows that it was shared by the account “Show your Respect” (@RYRQatar) on October 1, before it went viral.
The account, with the biography: “We contribute to the consolidation of the Islamic values and principles that sustain the Qatari identity”has the same logo that appears on the poster, suggesting it is the original source.
Furthermore, in the official accounts of the Organizing and Legacy Committee of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 there is no trace of a similar cartel.
Instead, there is a statement that says that the poster “It is not from any official source and has incorrect information.”
“The tournament organizers have made it clear from the outset that everyone is welcome to visit Qatar and enjoy the 2022 FIFA World Cup.“, they assure.
Government tourist portals
The portal “Visit Qatar” of the Qatari government indicates that “Qatari society values tolerance and hospitality, but visitors must respect some of its local customs“.
“Women are not required to wear a veil or cover their heads in public, however, as Qatar is an Islamic country, dressing modestly is more respected and appreciated.” add the page. There is also no trace of a list similar to that of the viralized poster.
Regarding alcoholic beverages, the Embassy of Qatar in Spain told EFE Verifica that alcohol is already available in “designated areas in Qatar“, like hotels and bars, and this “nor it will change for the World Cup.
“In order to cater to visiting fans, alcoholic beverages will be available in additional designated areas throughout the tournament.”they added.
They also recalled that the lack of availability of alcohol in public spaces is not exclusive to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022: “VSeveral other international sporting events, including UEFA tournaments, have had alcohol-free venues and cities“.
Disinformation
EFE Verifica has already denied in the past that Qatar is going to impose prison sentences between “seven and eleven years whoever shows the LGBTI rainbow flag during the World Cup.
Qatar does not recognize same-sex marriage and even its criminal code punishes sexual relations between men with penalties of one to three years in prison.
The spokesman for the Qatar World Cup, Naser Al Jater, pointed out in December 2021 in an interview with CNN that a homosexual couple can go to the World Cup “like fans of a football tournament” and that “they can do what any other human being would do”.
Of course, he clarified that “displays of public affection are frowned upon, regardless of sexual orientation,” since Qatar “It’s a conservative country.”
In short, a poster with a list of prohibitions for the 2022 Qatar World Cup, including drinking alcohol or blasphemy, does not belong to the World Cup organization and contains misleading information about the activities allowed in the sporting event.
EFE