“I can agree or not with their ideas but I have to show respect” in Qatar, said Monday the captain of the France team, Hugo Lloris, questioned on the port of an armband in favor of the inclusion during the World Cup. “Before doing things, you need the agreement of Fifa and the Federation. On this file, I have my personal opinion and it is somewhat similar to that of the president (of the FFF Noël Le Graët, editor’s note)” , said the goalkeeper of the Blues at a press conference in Clairefontaine.
An armband against homosexuality in discussion
“When we welcome foreigners to France, we often want them to comply with our rules and respect our culture. I will do the same when I go to Qatar. I can agree or not I agree with their ideas but I have to show respect for that,” he continued. Several captains of European selections, including France, wore an armband with colored stripes in September in favor of inclusion and against discrimination. The initiative must be extended during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, a country where homosexuality is criminalized.
In the absence of Lloris, forfeit, it was vice-captain Raphaël Varane who wore this armband in September. But the president of the FFF would like Lloris to give it up in Doha, for the 2022 World Cup. The Team. “We are going to play in a country that we must respect. But if we have to wear it, we will wear it. It’s not that I’m not in favor of this armband, but sometimes I think that the ‘we want to be so much lesson givers that we should also look at what is happening at home,’ said the leader.
“Subjects on which we cannot remain insensitive”
The question of the rights of migrant workers and homosexuality in Qatar has been regularly raised by NGOs since the awarding of the 2022 World Cup to the rich Gulf gas state in 2010. The Blues are regularly called upon to comment on these subjects, in particular by the NGO Amnesty International.
“These are subjects on which we cannot remain insensitive,” Lloris said on Monday. “I can’t answer you now but something will be put in place, you will be informed in due time, I think shortly.” On Monday, players from Australia’s national football team – who in October spoke out against rights abuses in Qatar but acknowledged progress had been made – said they were putting aside human rights issues in Qatar to just focus on the competition.