Qatar World Cup Ambassador Says Homosexuality Is 'Damage In The Mind' | General Sports

A Qatar World Cup ambassador has advised German tv broadcaster ZDF that homosexuality was "damage in the mind", because the Gulf state prepares to host the worldwide event in lower than two weeks.

In an interview filmed in Doha and to be screened in a while Tuesday, former Qatari worldwide Khalid Salman addressed the problem of homosexuality, which is prohibited within the conservative Muslim nation.

Some soccer gamers have raised issues over the rights of followers touring to the occasion, particularly LGBT+ people and ladies, whom rights teams say Qatari legal guidelines discriminate towards.

The nation expects multiple million guests for the World Cup.

"They have to accept our rules here," Salman mentioned, in an excerpt of the interview. "(Homosexuality) is haram. You know what haram (forbidden) means?," he mentioned.

When requested why it was haram, Salman mentioned: "I am not a strict Muslim but why is it haram? Because it is damage in the mind."

The interview was then instantly stopped by an accompanying official. Qatar's World Cup organisers, when contacted by Reuters, declined to remark.

World soccer's ruling physique FIFA didn't instantly reply to a request for a remark.

Organizers have repeatedly mentioned everybody was welcome in Qatar through the World Cup.

Qatar is the primary Middle Eastern nation to host the World Cup however the small nation has come beneath intense strain in recent times for its therapy of overseas employees and restrictive social legal guidelines.

The nation's human rights file has led to requires groups and officers to boycott the Nov. 20-Dec. 18 event.