As a Muslim country, Qatar is not used to dealing with public drunkenness, potentially on a mass scale, but has decided to control the issue by ensuring there is an alternative to arrests or jail time.
According to Qatar’s World Cup chief, Nasser Al Khater, there will be special zones at the tournament for drunk football supporters to sober up.
The sale of alcohol will move from hotel bars to fan zones and outside stadiums during the FIFA World Cup, which runs from November 20th to December 18th, 2022.
It has been reported that fans who end up in a so-called sober tent will remain there until they are sufficiently clear-headed to be released with a warning, as being drunk in Qatar is not accepted by locals or authorities.
“There are plans in place for people to sober up if they have been drinking excessively. It’s a place to make sure that they keep themselves safe, they are not harmful to anybody else,” said Al Khater.
In addition, Al Khater said that nobody would be discriminated against for their sexual orientation and insisted gay fans can hold hands.
“All we ask is for people to be respectful of the culture. At the end of the day, as long as you don’t do anything that harms other people, if you are not destroying public property, as long as you are behaving in a way that’s not harmful, then everybody’s welcome and you have nothing to worry about,” said Al Khater.
Meanwhile, former England striker, Gary Lineker, said he wants to see more male gay footballers coming out during the FIFA World Cup.
“Fear! Fear of the unknown, I imagine. Perhaps they are worried about what their teammates might think, although they probably already know. It seems insane that it should even be a thing.
People say, yeah, but the crowds, and I say, well the crowds chant anyway! You are always going to get a few idiots, but it’s easy for me to say, as I am not in that position.
If I were an agent of a big footballer, if I knew one of my players was gay, if he was a top player, I would say, be the first big player. I mean, as an agent, thinking in terms of promotion and stuff, you are going to be huge.
It would be great if one or two of them came out during the World Cup. It would be amazing. I know for a fact that some have been very close and contemplated it. There is a couple I know, but obviously, it’s not for me to say who they are,” said Lineker.
Currently, Jake Daniels of Blackpool and Australian, Josh Cavallo, of Adelaide United is the highest-profile male players to have come out as gay.
