LUSAIL, Qatar (AP) — A protester ran to the field Monday in a rainbow flag and a blue Superman jersey that read “SAVE UKRAINE” on the front and “RESPECT IRAN WOMEN” on the back during a World Cup. Match between Portugal and Uruguay.
Security officers chased the protester and the flag was dropped on the field before the person was escorted away. The referee then collected the flag and placed it on the touchline, where it remained for a few moments before a worker came to collect it.
The protester was led through a tunnel. It was not immediately clear if the person was facing charges or had been detained by police.
Thierry De Backer, FIFA’s press officer at the match, told The Associated Press he had “no idea” what happened to the protester. Local Qatari organizers had no comment.
In the first week of the tournament in Qatar, seven European teams lost the battle for wearing multicolored “One Love” armbands during World Cup matches. Fans also complained that they were not allowed to bring rainbow-colored items.a symbol of LGBTQ rights, in the stadiums of the conservative Islamic emirate.
Qatar’s laws against gay sex and the treatment of LGBTQ people were flashpoints in the run-up to the first World Cup to be held in the Middle East. Qatar has said that all are welcome, including LGBTQ fans, but that visitors must respect the nation’s culture.
The incident occurred during the second half of the match at Lusail Stadium.
Portuguese midfielder Bruno Fernandes, who scored both goals in his team’s 2-0 winhe said he was so focused on the game that he didn’t really realize what the protester’s intention was, and that he thought the protester might have wanted to take a picture with Cristiano Ronaldo, his fellow star.
“To be honest, I didn’t really see what the message was trying to get across,” Fernandes said through a translator. “But we’ve already talked about that many times. … We respect all human rights, but those are political issues where unfortunately we don’t have much strength, where we can’t really change anything.”
Before the World Cup began, Fernandes said soccer should be “for everyone”, adding that he was not happy about the workers who died building stadiums in Qatar.
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