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Some members of the Wales national team have decided not to travel to the World Cup matches hosted by Qatar due to the Gulf state’s stance on gay rights.
Wales Football Association president Noel Money said the team would use the event as a “platform” to discuss human rights in Qatar.
Mooney urged the International Football Association “FIFA” and the European Football Association “UEFA” to exercise conscience when choosing countries to host sporting events.
Qatari officials said the matches will be for everyone.
Wales qualified for the tournament after defeating Ukraine 1-0 for the first time since 1958.
FIFA’s decision to choose Qatar to host the matches in it has sparked widespread criticism, due to questions about Qatar’s record in human rights issues.
Amnesty International is concerned about more than one issue in Qatar, including gay rights and the treatment of foreign workers there.
Amnesty International said that the LGBT community suffers from discrimination in law and practice in Qatar.
Money said Wales wanted to use the World Cup “as a force for good”.
picture released, TRACY BROWN
There is concern about discrimination against homosexuals
“There is an agreement among the people represented in UEFA to use the platform to improve living conditions, and this is what we intend to do. We look forward to playing an active role in expressing our ideas.”
Mooney said he did not see the boycott of matches as a right decision, but added that some of the union’s workers would not travel to Qatar because of the country’s stance on gay rights.
He added, “They will not travel there, which is completely their right. The majority will travel and will understand our decision that the event is a platform to try to improve living conditions and encourage dialogue on human rights issues and foreign workers. We look forward to playing a full role in this and getting clarifications on important issues affecting foreign workers.” They travel there to cheer.”
Some members of the Rainbow Wall Association, which represents gays and their fans in Wales, had said they would not go to Qatar, but Mooney said the association “will be a focus of our thinking while planning for the World Cup”.
The Wales Football Association chief said he was concerned that the sport was being used to whitewash some countries’ human rights record.
“There were the World Cup matches in Russia in 2018, which saw success in the field of public relations for Russia, and we see what has happened since that time with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. I am concerned about some things about how the sport is used as a front for something else, so I think that the institutions involved should Like the Olympics and FIFA, you have to think strategically and judge their conscience.”
Wales First Minister Mark Dredford said on Tuesday that Wales should use the occasion to raise human rights issues with the Qatari authorities while the world’s eyes turn to Qatar.
picture released, Getty Images
Wales First Minister Mark Dredford said Wales should use the occasion to raise human rights issues
“We are very pleased that Wales will be present in Qatar, but we should not lose sight of reservations about some of the human rights issues present there,” Drakeford added.
“The matches belong to everyone, and everyone will be welcomed,” Fatima Al-Nuaimi, executive director of communications for the Qatar Supreme Committee responsible for the tournament, told the BBC earlier.