North Yorkshire fans tell us why they won't be watching the World Cup
As England and Wales fans gear up for their tournaments to get underway, some are choosing to boycott the competition
Last updated 21st Nov 2022
The World Cup is celebrated as a festival of football that unites people from across the globe.
But this year's event in Qatar has caused controversy because of the host nation's record on human rights, the deaths of migrant workers and Qatar's laws surrounding the LGBT community.
In Qatar, it is illegal to be homosexual, which is punishable by imprisonment or, in some cases, the death penalty. It's also against the law there to campaign for LGBT rights
Tournament organisors insist everyone is safe to travel to watch their nation's games, as long as local customs are respected.
The fans who chose not to watch
Elliott Briggs is part of the LGBT community in York and has told us: "I'm not planning on watching any of the games and I wouldn't feel safe going to Qatar to watch because it's not worth potentially putting my life at risk because of who I am for fundamentally something I that I can't change and something that I didn't chose, for the sake of watching a football match."
Elliott now plays rugby for York RI Templars and says it's a sport that is very inclusive: "There are teams up and down the country such as the rugby club that I play for that are open for LGBTQ plus people. Even if you don't play a game, we have some people who just come down for training for people to come down and have a safe place to do some exercise."
What do organisers say?
Despite homosexuality being illegal in Qatar, and can be punishable by death, officials have claimed that the country is safe for LGBTQ+ fans and players to visit during the World Cup.
Qatar's World Cup chief, Nasser Al Khater has given assurances to LGBTQ+ fans that they will be welcomed at the tournament.
He said: “We have always said that everyone is welcome here, all we ask is that people are respectful of the culture.”