The Welsh FA has stated it’s “extremely disappointed” after followers have been advised to take away their Rainbow Wall bucket hats forward of their World Cup match towards the USA.
Wales supporters carrying the hats claimed that they had them confiscated forward of their facet’s opening match in Qatar final night time.
Following the match, which led to a 1-1 draw, the Football Association of Wales (FAW) have as we speak stated they are going to be addressing the matter immediately with FIFA.
In an announcement, the FAW stated: “On Monday Cymru returned to the FIFA World Cup for the first time in 64 years, an historic moment for the squad, the valued fans – The Red Wall / Y Wal Goch – and the nation.
“However, the Football Association of Wales (FAW) have been extraordinarily disillusioned by studies that members of Y Wal Goch, which included FAW employees members, have been requested to take away and discard their Rainbow Wall bucket hats earlier than entry to the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium. These bucket hats have been created in partnership with the FAW.
“The FAW has collated information on these alleged incidents and will be addressing this matter directly with FIFA today (22 November). The FAW will not be releasing any further comment at this stage.”
Last night time, LGBTQ+ supporters group Wales‘ Rainbow Wall stated that whereas male followers carrying the hats have been allowed to maintain them, feminine followers had the gadgets taken from them by officers on the stadium in Qatar earlier than their opening World Cup fixture.
It comes amid a raft of comparable studies from supporters of various nations on the event who’ve had clothes or flags bearing the rainbow design taken off them by officers.
Qatar – the place homosexuality is punishable with as much as three years in jail and which has an appalling human rights file – has confronted mounting condemnation over its strategy.
Former Wales worldwide footballer Laura McAllister, now a professor at Cardiff University, wrote on Twitter: “So, despite fine words from @FIFAWorldCup before event, @Cymru rainbow bucket hats confiscated at stadium, mine included.
“I had a dialog about this with stewards – we’ve video proof. This #WorldCup2022 simply will get higher however we’ll proceed arise for our values.”
Bucket hats have become hugely popular among Wales fans over the past decade, with huge numbers in the crowd choosing to wear them to attend the country’s first World Cup match since 1958.
The yellow, green and red garments are worn in their thousands by the so-called “Red Wall”, with a rainbow version also produced.
Wales’ Rainbow Wall wrote: “Our rainbow bucket hat. We are so pleased with them, however information on the bottom tonight is our Welsh feminine supporters carrying them in #Qatar are having them taken off them, not the boys, simply girls.
“@Fifacom are you serious !! #LGBTQRights.”
Read extra:
What are Qatar’s homosexuality legal guidelines?
England and Wales make mark on World Cup on day of off-pitch drama
A US supporter can also be understood to have been threatened on the Metro travelling to the stadium for carrying a small rainbow flag.
Justin D Martin, a journalism professor at Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, tweeted an image of the small rainbow emblem writing that it was “smaller than [his] hand” and he “wasn’t trying to provoke” anybody.
He wrote: “Genuinely wanted to watch US-Wales match while supporting marginalized groups in the smallest of ways.”
A person who gave the impression to be a Qatar supporter threatened to “kill” Mr Martin, saying the flag “was not allowed” and “that flag is banned in this country”.
“We have our own culture,” he added.
Source: information.sky.com”