A Soccer reporter named Grant Wahl shared how a couple of World Cup security guards allegedly proceeded to deny him entry into a stadium in Qatar for wearing a rainbow shirt in support for the LGBTQ+ community
The incident occurred on Monday morning when Grant showed up to Ahmed bin Ali Stadium in Qatar for the USA vs Wales match.
“You Have To Change Your Shirt” Qatar World Cup Security Guards Inform Soccer Reporter Grant Wahl While Denying Him Entry Into Stadium For Wearing Rainbow Shirt
Just now: Security guard refusing to let me into the stadium for USA-Wales. “You have to change your shirt. It’s not allowed.” pic.twitter.com/TvSGThMYq8
— Subscribe to GrantWahl.com (@GrantWahl) November 21, 2022
Grant Wahl is an famous American sports journalist and a soccer analyst for the CBS Sports. He also famously wrote the book, ‘The Beckham Experiment’
World Cup Security Guards Deny Entry Into Stadium To Grant
According to Grant, the security guards denied him entry into stadium for nearly half an hour, because of his shirt.
Grant had apparently showed up to watch the United States’ first match against Wales at the Ahmed bin Ali Stadium. While attending the match, he decided to show his support for the LGBTQ+ community by wearing a T-shirt with a soccer ball and a rainbow pattern.
Qatar is a country where homosexuality is illegal and the laws on openly practicing are very strict. Upon reaching the venue, the security guards proceeded to stop him over his T-shirt and demanded him to remove it.
One of the guards apparently told Grant “You have to change your shirt” stating that such kinds of clothing are not allowed.
Detained By Security Guards
The 47-year-old reporter refused the demand and decided post a quick tweet about the situation. However, the guards allegedly took his phone and detained him for roughly around 25 minutes.
Wahl stated:
One security guard told me that my shirt was ‘political’ and not allowed. Another continually refused to give me back my phone. Another guard yelled at me as he stood above me — I was sitting on a chair by now — that I had to remove my shirt.
Officials Step In To Apologize
Eventually, a security commander showed up and proceeded to make an apology to grant, and allowing him into the stadium. Grant also added that a FIFA representative apologized to him as well.
Notably, the whole incident occurred just hours after several World Cup teams made an announcement not to wear the rainbow armbands as initially planned due to threats of punishment from FIFA. The teams include England, Belgium, Wales, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Denmark, and Germany.
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