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THE TAOISEACH HAS said that there cannot be “any inhibition” for LGBT people to travel to the World Cup in Qatar.
It comes after comments made by the British foreign secretary James Cleverly, who said that LGBT football fans should be “respectful of the host nation”if they visit the country to attend the World Cup.
Cleverly urged fans to show “a little bit of flex and compromise” and to “respect the culture of your host nation”.
His comments sparked a wave of backlash, including from veteran LGBT rights campaigner Peter Tatchell, who was questioned by police in Qatar yesterday after staging a one-man LGBT rights protest.
Asked about Cleverly’s comments by The Journal, Micheál Martin said: “There can’t be any inhibition for people, in respect of sexual orientation or for any reason, to travel to Qatar to attend the World Cup, there cannot be and that must be made clear to the authorities, that that will not be tolerated.”
Ireland did not qualify for this year’s tournament, which kicks off on 20 November, but some Irish fans may still travel to watch other teams compete.
The World Cup has been shrouded in controversy since Qatar was awarded the tournament 12 years ago.
Same-sex marriage is prohibited in the country, and same-sex sexual activity is punishable by up to seven years in prison.
Tatchell heavily criticised Cleverly’s advice to British football fans, and said going to the event is “colluding with a homophobic, sexist and racist regime”.
“The UK Government must use its public voice to condemn the appalling human rights abuses carried out daily by the Qatari regime,” he said.
“Unless we all speak out, Qatar will have achieved its goal of sports washing its appalling reputation during the World Cup. Mr Cleverly has an opportunity to highlight the abuses being carried out by the regime.
“All fans, not just LGBTs, should boycott the World Cup and use their social media to amplify the shocking human rights abuses by the Qatari state. Going to the World Cup is colluding with a homophobic, sexist and racist regime.”
Last night, Australia’s football team became the first to release a collective statement condemning Qatar’s human rights abuses.
A message from our @Socceroos on the @FIFAWorldCup #SupportingThePlayers pic.twitter.com/bUqW2pne1w
— Professional Footballers Australia (@thepfa) October 26, 2022
Sixteen members of the men’s team — the Socceroos — appeared in a short video explaining their position.
“We have learned that the decision to host the World Cup in Qatar has resulted in the suffering and harm of countless of our fellow workers,” said Jackson Irvine, a one-time Celtic midfielder.
The players acknowledged Qatar’s attempts to improve working conditions for migrants but said these changes had been “inconsistent”.
Governing body Football Australia also released a statement critical of Qatar’s human rights record.
“We acknowledge the significant progress and legislative reforms (that) have occurred in Qatar over recent years to recognise and protect the rights of workers, and we encourage all stakeholders to continue this path to reform,” it said.
“However, we have also learned that the tournament has been associated with suffering for some migrant workers and their families and this cannot be ignored.”
Captains from a number of leading European football nations — including England, France and Germany — will wear armbands with rainbow colours and the message “One Love” in an anti-discrimination campaign during the tournament.
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It’s about time. Well done NY!
@Sohoma Roanie: Agree, all private sector workers should follow suit, look at what P & O Ferries did, sacked almost 800 permanent staff and replaced them with cheaper labour. Zero contract hours and the use of agencies has gotten totally out of control.
@Frank Cauldhame: the P&O staff were already in a union though. The new owners simply choose to ignore due process and sack them all without consultation. Seems they have got away with it too
@David Hammond: They are being investigated by The Insolvency Service in the UK and their Directors face being disqualified. Hopefully they will be made an example of Dave.
Massive achievement. Well done all . Unions are vital in the workplace.
@David Beattie: Really – in the public sector workplace. Remember when they wouldn’t budge on the half day off a month to cash non existent cheques. Unions need to pick their battles.
@Jon Boylan: I’m speaking from my experience in retail and as a former shop steward. A union is only as strong as its members and I for one applaud anyone that joins one or is already in one. This is my own opinion whether others agree or not.
@David Beattie: 100% agree.
@Patricia O’Brien: thanks
@David Beattie: ‘Our job is to taste the fresh air, our so called bosses own the clocks that taunt us from the wall but we own the hour’
@Jon Boylan: They’re vital AND need to pick their battles. Both true really.
You don’t get what you deserve, you get what you fight for..
@l: you must have had a pretty 5hit time of it to be that cynical
@l: I would argue not. Who pays the rates and esb in liberty Hall. We have a hugely dysfunctional civil service and public service with no accountability from top to bottom and incremental pay increases in some sectors for people who are clearly not fit to perform their duties never mind a pay rise ( everyone had that teacher) this is all due to unions and herd mentality. Good for amazon maybe good for everyone definitely not
Amazon is one of a number of companies pushing capitalism to its limits and proving that capitalism without clear moral boundaries is an abomination
@Paul Jude Redmond: Absolutely spot on, well said.
That quote from the union worker is quality.
@ChadChaderson: Jeff the spacer,might regret going to his Homeland………..
If they can see it through to an actual union and ignore what ever carrot that will inevitably be hung out to tempt them it could be a watershed moment for employee rights in the US.
@Eddie O’Neill: the cynic in me is half expecting Amazon to just clean house and fire everyone. Sure as he’ll don’t think this is going to be a case of the little guy winning in the US for sure. Amazon and its endless resources and army of lawyers will find a way to crush this
cant understand the logic of these massive companies, dead set on only shareholder returns?surely at some stage the average person wont have disposable income to buy anything, then yer left with only the high income demographic ..who by then will also be in free fall cause their companies are falling due to demand drop offs.? seems illogical. as the old saying goes “pop will eat itself”. as bad as ford was at least he paid his workers enough so that they might be consumers of the cars they were making.
@Mick Heery: Short termism is the issue. It is just like climate change and many other issues we face, some people only care about themselves. Extreme greed should not be rewarded.
@Mick Heery: rightly or wrongly that logic has seen Amazon become one of the most successful companies in the world
Several thousand workers in a single NY warehouse.. how many if this is replicated throughout the US and at others like Starbucks mentioned in the article?
Unions definitely the big winners here if this is carried through.
Loads of multinational companies here don’t have unions either, Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google…..hopefully gonna start here soon as well.
@tommy:
And?
Most employees in those multinationals most likely have better terms and conditions than what is offered in comparable jobs outside the multinational sector.
I know I had when I worked for a multinational years ago.
They don’t want the Unions and the Unions aren’t interested in organising there. The existing arrangement seems to suit them both perfectly in Ireland…
Everyone here cheering this on. But you you honestly believe the unions really have the employees interests in mind? How much will those unions reps be paid? I think unions seemed to have positive impact when employees were treated like literal dirt, but now there are so many employee laws.
Please someone tell me I am wrong and give me impactful examples of what unions have really done in Ireland in the last 2-4 years. And I really do mean impactful… fighting for a 2% wage increase when inflation is higher than that is pointless. Also creating rules to ensure the absolute terrible people can’t be removed is also terrible. You all see the waste in various sectors, unions helped create that.
@Richard: I work in the private sector and there are people here who should be fired but they know someone.. so get off the stage dude.
@Billybutcher: did you do something about it? Did you raise your concerns to someone on leadership? Do you have solid data to show why that person is not performing at their job? Did you bring it to senior leadership if you do not trust line managers?
If not, kindly exit stage left.
I do dislike all the folks who complain about their colleagues and don’t want to do anything about it. Maybe they would actually get better if they got some feedback….
@Richard: the bit you’re overlooking here, is Amazon employees really are treated like dirt. There was a whole thing about it. Insanely long shifts and getting docked pay for using the toilet. With many hiding and peeing in bottles. Loads of other horrific stuff too. It was all over the news not so long ago. So yea a union would hugely help as it would give them rights. In ireland we have basic employee rights they don’t have in the states. Another thing you’re overlooking. This is in the states not ireland.
It seems crazy that we are still struggling for a right that was already won through huge struggle a hundred years ago, the right to organise.
thanks for going to space…lol.
Great stuff , they should make their Union sign Jeff’s Dildo Rocket
Goddam commies
The ideology of a union is great, in practice they rarely achieve anything other than quangos who suck money out of workers and line their own pockets.
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