American journalist Grant Wahl says he was refused entry into the U.S.-Wales match at the World Cup in Qatar because of his rainbow shirt.
Wahl claims the security guard told him that his shirt, which featured a rainbow surrounding a soccer ball, was “not allowed” in Ahmad bin Ali Stadium.
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He later confirmed in a follow-up tweet that he was permitted into the media center after the “unnecessary ordeal.”
I’m OK, but that was an unnecessary ordeal. Am in the media center, still wearing my shirt. Was detained for nearly half an hour. Go gays ? https://t.co/S3INBoCz89
— Subscribe to GrantWahl.com (@GrantWahl) November 21, 2022
“I’m OK, but that was an unnecessary ordeal. Am in the media center, still wearing my shirt. Was detained for nearly half an hour. Go gays,” Wahl said in the tweet.
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Host country Qatar has come under scrutiny for some of its practices and laws, specifically the ones which outlaw homosexuality. Several European countries had planned on wearing rainbow armbands in solidarity with the LGBT community but backed down when they were threatened with punishment by FIFA, which runs international soccer.
The U.S. is playing in its first World Cup match Monday for the first time since 2014, while Wales is making its first World Cup appearance since 1958.
