Olympic diving star Tom Daley has called for a boycott of next years’ Fifa World Cup in Qatar because of the host country’s ‘extreme rules about LGBT people and women’.
The Olympic athlete, who won gold and bronze medals at Tokyo 2020, said he was making it his ‘mission’ to ensure countries that criminalise homosexuality are not allowed to compete at future games.
Mr Daley, who confirmed his sexuality, in 2014, in an emotional YouTube video to fans, said countries, like Qatar, ‘that criminalise against basic human rights’ should not be allowed to host a sporting event.
He made the comments after collecting the Attitude Sport award at Virgin Atlantic’s 2021 Attitude Awards on Monday night.
Concerns have been raised about the treatment facing gay fans attending next year’s World Cup due to the country’s conservative religious code prohibiting same-sex relations.
Tom Daley said he was going to make it his ‘mission’ to ensure countries that punish homosexuality with death are banned from hosting or competing in sporting events such as the Olympic Games or the World Cup.
Mr Daley said: ‘The World Cup coming up in Qatar has extreme rules against LGBT people and about women.
‘And I think it should not be allowed for a sporting event to host in a country that criminalises against basic human rights.
‘So that is going to be my mission now to try and change that.’
Mr Daley also referenced the Olympic Games and hoped to ban all countries that criminalise homosexuality from competing in future games, including the next event in Paris in 2024.
He added: ‘These past Olympic Games, there were more out LGBT athletes than any of the previous Olympics combined, which is a great step forward.
‘Yet there are still ten countries that punish being gay with death that there will still allowed to compete at the Olympic Games.
‘And I think that is quite shocking to a lot of people because I know I’ve spoken a lot about that, but at the same time, it’s all well and good to be able to speak about those things, but I think it’s really important to try and create change rather than just highlighting and shining a light on those things.
‘So, I want to make it my mission, hopefully, before the Paris Olympics in 2024 to make it so that the countries that criminalise and punishable by death for LGBT people are not allowed to compete at the Olympic Games.
‘I am incredibly lucky to come for Great Britain, where I am able to be my true authentic self and compete without worry of ramification.
‘And I feel like wherever you are born, you should be able to have that stress taken away from you.
‘And for those ten countries where you can’t be yourself, I think they should not be allowed to compete at the Olympic Games, definitely should not be allowed to host an Olympic Games.’
Mr. Daley did not name the specific countries but, according to the Washington Post, homosexuality may be punishable by death in Yemen, Iran, Mauritania, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Somalia, Sudan and the United Arab Emirates.
MailOnline
