Sports journalist detained for wearing rainbow shirt at World Cup stadium in Qatar

DOHA: A sports journalist was detained on Monday when he tried to enter a World Cup stadium in Qatar wearing a rainbow shirt in support of LGBTQ community where same sex relations are illegal. The security detained Grant Wahl, the journalist, for some time when he came to report the inaugural contest of USA at the world cup. The issue has courted a controversy. He was denied entry in the name of his dress.

As Qatar is against same sex relations, he was denied entry in the name of his rainbow shirt supporting LGBTQ. He was denied entry at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium in Al Rayyan. The security had asked him to take his shirt off. His phone was seized when he tweeted about the incident. He was detained for 25 minutes. A security commander later approached him and tendered an apology. He was later allowed to enter the venue. He later received an apology message from FIFA.

FIFA’s decision of banning players from wearing rainbow arm bands was widely discussed.