"The celebration, arranged by local organisers in Seattle rather than FIFA itself, was decided on before the draw and scheduling was done. Egypt and Iran were the sides selected for the slot, two countries where homosexuality is illegal. Iran qualified for the tournament back in March, with a draw against Uzbekistan (Image credit: Getty Images)"
"The Egypt Football Association (EFA) has since asked FIFA to step in and prevent any of the Pride celebrations from being held around the game, which is set to include artwork displays around the stadium and across the city. In a letter to the governing body, the EFA said it categorically rejects any activities promoting LGBTQ during the match, suggesting it could provoke cultural and religious sensitivities among fans."
"The activities directly conflict with the cultural, religious and social values of the region, particularly in Arab and Islamic societies, the EFA continued. The EFA invoked Article 4 of FIFA's statutes as part of its plea, regarding neutrality in political and social matters. The head of Iran's Football Federation, Mehdi Taj, was quoted by local press as saying the two nations had raised objections."
A Group G World Cup match between Egypt and Iran is scheduled for 26 June in Seattle, coinciding with the city’s Pride weekend and designated as a Pride Match by local organisers. The Pride celebrations were planned by local organisers before the World Cup draw and selection of teams for that slot. Both Egypt and Iran come from countries where homosexuality is illegal. The Egypt Football Association has written to FIFA to request prevention of Pride activities around the game, citing potential cultural and religious sensitivities and invoking FIFA statutes on neutrality. Iran’s federation also raised objections.
Read at www.fourfourtwo.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]