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Rabat – As the 2022 World Cup in Qatar approaches, the host country has banned sexual relations between unmarried people, including and during the sporting event. The decision concerns both nationals and foreigners.
According to the British news outlet Daily Star, FIFA officials warned that “no exceptions will be made,” emphasizing that one-night stands could lead to seven years imprisonment.
Foreigners attending the tournament will have to comply with the Qatari laws, such as the criminalization of public intoxication. A person could also face the death penalty if caught smuggling cocaine to the country.
The Daily Star quoted a police source who asserted that “sex is very much off the menu, unless you are coming as a married couple. There definitely will be no one-night stands at this tournament.”
Drinking and partying after matches, which frequently occurs in other locations, is also strictly prohibited, the police said. “There is essentially a sex ban in place at this year’s World Cup for the first time ever. Fans need to be prepared,” they noted.
Qatar criminalizes unmarried sex, as the laws are based on Islamic legal tradition that classifies sex outside of marriage, pregnancy out of wedlock, and adultery as crimes punishable by imprisonment.
“Qatar is a conservative country and public displays of affection are frowned upon, regardless of sexual orientation,” Qatar’s Supreme Committee for the delivery of the 2022 World Cup announced in a statement.
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Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani was previously asked about the reception of LGBTQ+ people during the World Cup, to which he replied that “everyone is welcome in Doha,” insisting that the Gulf country is “a welcoming country.”
The Emir further expressed his wish for football fans to respect and appreciate the country’s culture.
“We all live on the same planet, but we each have different cultures. We welcome all, but we also expect and want people to respect our culture,” he added.
Nevertheless, rainbow flags could be taken from fans at the 2022 World Cup “to protect them from being attacked for promoting gay rights,” the Qatari Security chief Abdulaziz Abdullah Al Ansari told the Associated Press in April.
The FIFA World Cup is set to take place from November 21 to December 18. The event will see the participation of 32 countries, including Morocco and Qatar.
