Still, gay fans are welcome in the country, but they must abide by Qatar's rules, emphasizes former football player Khalid Salman, who has been employed by the Qatari authorities as a World Cup ambassador. The rules to which Salman refers mean that homosexuality is punishable.

Salman believes that visibility of homosexuality is bad, because children can then be taught “wrong things”.

When the ambassador made the statements, a press officer spontaneously broke off the interview, ZDF reports.

Salman's statements are yet another riot surrounding the World Cup men's football. For example, there are hotels that refuse LGBT+ people. Last month, Human Rights Watch reported that authorities in Qatar are arbitrarily arresting and detaining gay and trans people.

Although FIFA calls for the World Cup to be "about football", a number of countries will play with the OneLove bracelet from the KNVB. This campaign is aimed at combating “all forms of discrimination”.