Tennis superstar Rafael Nadal has stated that rules set out by FIFA are what count in the wake of backlash received for not allowing Pro-LGBT protests to take place at the ongoing World Cup in Qatar.
The Gulf nation has a strong stance against LGBT activities which is a criminal and punishable offence. LGBT rights groups as well as some team captains pushed to send a strong message against Qatar’s treatment of LGBT people.
FIFA however threatened to sanction any captain that wears armbands different from the one the global football governing body provided.
Despite the concerned parties yielding to the warning, some teams such as Germany have considered taking FIFA to court while protesting in a different format.
In their opening World Cup match against Japan, Die Mannschaft were seen covering their mouths with their hands during the pre-match photo.
Nadal – who is an avid football fan – said everyone can express themselves and it is also the right of people to express their disagreement.
“It is clear that we live in a global world where people have more rights, and I understand that sport is a place of great media exposure to show these kinds of things,” Nadal was quoted in Eurosport.
“In that sense, I understand that everyone has to have the freedom to express things and the feelings they have, without harming others.
“The decisions taken or not taken by FIFA may seem better or worse to me, but in the end, they are the rules or attitudes that they want to take.
“People deserve their space to be able to express themselves and show their disagreement and that is what is happening.
“Sport is a place to express yourself because it has global exposure, but beyond that for me it’s important that you end up playing football or tennis, and that everything else is a platform to improve the world, but the main thing is sport.”
The World Cup group phase is nearly coming to an end with countries such as the Netherlands, Senegal, England, the United States of America, France, Portugal, Brazil all booking their spot in the Round of 16.
